Data & Analytics

Edison, N.J. - Consumers are turning to user-generated social media images and videos to help them make purchasing decisions. According to a new study of more than 500 online shoppers from Dotcom Distribution, more than half of respondents (54%) have used social media to find photos or videos of a product they were thinking of buying within the past year.

Cloud computing has become nearly ubiquitous, but are retailers making the best use of cloud services when it comes to managing sensitive customer data? Deciding what customer data should be stored in the cloud and what data should be stored on-premises behind a company’s firewall is a question every retail company has to grapple with.

A study of 10,000 U.S. consumers revealed H-E-B, Publix and Trader Joe's are tops when it comes to making customers feel delighted.

Seattle – Amazon.com is releasing its Echo voice-activated artificial intelligence device for general availability in July, and taking consumer orders now. Echo was made available on an invitation basis to customers who wanted to help shape the device in November 2014.

San Francisco – In its latest step toward becoming more of a commerce platform, Twitter is testing two new ways to make finding content about products easier. The first pilot is of a new way to surface and organize relevant Tweets about products and places on dedicated pages.

These pages will feature images and video about the product alongside information such as a description, price, and an option to buy, book, or visit the website for more information. Twitter is starting to experiment with a small number of products and places.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- There is a disconnect between IT and loss prevention departments when it comes to budgets, focus and staffing, according to a study by IHL Group and Axis Communications.

Hangzhou, China – Alibaba Holding Group Inc. is reportedly planning to boost its investment in Russia. According to the China Want Times, Alibaba chairman Jack Ma said expanded e-commerce operations in Russia would be part of a broader effort called “One Belt One Road” that would electronically connect China with countries in Eastern Europe for trading.

The trajectory of gift card sales is a true testament to their importance at given points in the calendar. Smart retailers have ramped up their gift card offerings both in the store and online; and from the recipients’ point of view, we know from our consumer research that gift cards rank as the No. 1 preferred holiday gift, and have done so for the last eight years — above and beyond any other gift — because they offer customers unlimited selection, pure convenience and personal choice.

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