Data & Analytics

Hormel Foods has announced the upcoming retirement of Dr. Phillip L. Minerich, VP of research and development, effective Dec. 31. Taking his place Oct. 28 will be Dr. Kevin L. Myers, who is currently director of product and process development, research and development.

Burlington, Mass. – Demandware is releasing a new in-store solution that will extend the omnichannel capabilities of the Demandware Commerce platform into the physical store. Demandware’s new digital store solution will allow retailers to digitize the store by combining omnichannel platform capabilities with purpose-built store functionality such as buy in-store/ship to home, guided selling, bar code scanning and secure credit card transactions.

Framingham, Mass. – Staples is introducing Staples Connect, an offering that lets customers’ home or office technology interact and be controlled by a single app. With the touch of a button, Staples Connect lets customers shut down their office, turning off lights, lowering shades and locking doors, while at the same time turning on their lights and heat at home.

By Laura Wheeler DeYonker, AbsolutData

Recent data from Harris Poll shows that weaknesses in retailers’ pricing, product information and customer service strategies lead 43% of customers to showroom — creating a situation where brick-and-mortar retailers incur all the sales costs and online retailers make the sale.

Dunnhumby, a leading customer science company, has launched Dunnhumby Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focusing on innovations in retail technology. 

Dunnhumby Ventures will serve as a support mechanism for innovators, helping to fund startup businesses that are embracing data for innovations along the consumer’s path to purchase. Dunnhumby Ventures will also provide strategic input and mentorship. Average initial investments will range from $100,000 to $500,000.

New York -- As more dollars are spent online and consumers become savvier in product knowledge and comparison shopping, retailers must rethink their customer experience strategies.

Chain Store Age’s Webinar, “Creating the Ultimate Experience: Research Shows How to Increase Customer Loyalty,” will provide insight into how retailers can capture more revenue through a consistent and well-executed customer experience. Webinar attendees will receive a complimentary research report detailing the full research findings.

Atlanta – David’s Bridal is using omnichannel solutions from Manhattan Associates to ensure on-time and accurate delivery of customer orders from across its network. The company is using Manhattan’s order management solution to orchestrate both customer and store replenishment orders to ensure reliable fulfillment.

Imagine you are at in a major department store’s corporate headquarters as your team prepares numbers for the upcoming holiday season. The frenetic pace of retail holiday hiring can frazzle even the most experienced manager, and diligently checking every box in the employee onboarding process can seem laughably optimistic in the rush to find, hire and get as many employees as possible going in a matter of days.