Data & Analytics

Sam’s Club members are in for a slew of new services when the retailer launches its lending center this week.

SmartBiz, the exclusive platform for SBA-guaranteed loans for the Sam’s Club Business Lending Center, will provide qualifying Sam’s Club business members with SBA loans with low monthly payments, single digit interest rates, and a simple, streamlined application process.

In addition, SmartBiz developed and runs the technology platform that drives the Sam’s Club Business Lending Center, now available at SamsClub.com/services.

St. Petersburg – HSN Inc. is partnering with the Card Services division of Alliance Data Systems Corp. (ADS) to provide private label credit card services for its Cornerstone business unit. Alliance Data will develop loyalty-driven card programs for five of Cornerstone's seven multichannel brands -- Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, Grandin Road and Improvements – each incorporating a tailored approach for their unique customer base.

Oak Brook, Ill. – Ace Hardware Corp. has promoted senior director of IT business systems Rick Williams to the position of VP of information technology (IT). Reporting to Ace’s CFO, Williams, 49, will play an integral role in further driving strategic technology and systems management for Ace to shape business functions and deliver significant return on investments.

Sterling, Va. – Sixty-four percent of millennial graduates shopped at Target in the last three months, according to new data by Neustar, Inc. The real-time information services and analytics provider uncovered the buying behavior insights of recent millennial graduates and their preferences.

Some insights include:

The Kroger Co. has earned more recognition for its investments in food safety innovation.

The company's innovative electronic temperature monitoring project has been named a winner of the 2015 CIO 100 Award by International Data Group's CIO Magazine.

King of Prussia, Pa. – eBay Enterprise has helped its clients reduce average handle time and save money by using the NICE Interaction Analytics solution. eBay Enterprise processes roughly 17 million contacts per year on behalf of its retailers, across a full range of channels including phone, chat, email and social media. Its key focus is on lowering average handle time (AHT), delivering consistent, high quality service, and enhancing the consumer experience.

Mahwah, N.J. – Ascena Retail Group Inc. fell short of Wall Street expectations for profit and revenue in a difficult third quarter of fiscal 2015. Net income fell 23% to $24.4 million, from $33.2 million in the same quarter a year earlier.

When it comes to transportation and logistics management considerations, the retail industry is a completely different beast. From strict deadlines and razor thin margins to challenges dealing with “reverse logistics,” complex dynamics exist between retailers, manufacturers/suppliers and transportation carriers that present unique challenges for getting inventory from Point A to Point B (and sometimes back again).