Data & Analytics

New York – Although overall back-to-school shopping is starting later in 2015 than the prior year, online back-to-school shoppers are getting an earlier start than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. According to a new trend report on back-to-school shopping from Internet marketing agency PM Digital, 30% of online shoppers will start buying back-to-school items at least two months before school starts, compared to 22% of overall shoppers.

Minneapolis – Supervalu Inc. beat Wall Street expectations for profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and also announced it is considering spinning off its Save-A-Lot grocery banner. Net earnings soared 42% to $61 million, from $43 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year.

Cost of sales rose at a slower pace than net sales, aiding profit growth. Net sales rose 3% to $5.41 billion, from $5.26 billion.

Kohl’s is looking to mold the minds of the next generation of retailers with an innovative new program for students.

Minneapolis – While the buzzing sounds and dings of dial-up Internet access may seem like quaint relics of the turn of the century, the fact remains that millions of Americans lack even that level of Web connectivity. To help bridge this digital divide, Best Buy will participate in a new ConnectHome initiative announced by President Obama and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro.

Moorestown, N.J. -- Pro-Tech Energy Solutions has been selected by A.C. Moore to install a 3.48MW rooftop solar installation.

The rooftop array will be installed on the A.C. Moore distribution warehouse and headquarters in Berlin, New Jersey. Part of a cost-saving and sustainable energy initiative, the rooftop array will cover approximately 432,000 sq. ft. and utilize string inverters to provide maximum control over energy supply.

Pleasanton, Calif. - Shoppers are using a larger variety of payment options with digital and mobile payments serving as supplements to the traditional cash and card-based payments tools. According to a new study of 1,000 consumers released by Blackhawk Network, while 93% of consumers still use cash; 68% use debit cards; 62% use PayPal and 14% have made mobile payments on smartphones or tablets.

The e-commerce experience will be easier for retailers to execute and more enjoyable for shoppers this holiday season thanks to a dramatic expansion of a flexible fulfillment service UPS introduced last year.

Woodland Hills, Calif. – A good politician knows to focus locally, and increasingly retailers are following that lead. In that spirit BrightStreet Ventures, the technology affiliate of shopping center developer NewMark Merrill Companies, has launched BlueList, a real-time mobile offers service for local merchants and nearby consumers.