Data & Analytics

Columbus, Ohio – DSW Inc. reported a net income increase in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 compared to the same period a year earlier, even as net sales dipped. Fourth quarter net income rose 4% to $28.1 million from $27.1 million, while net sales declined 4% to $572 million from $594 million and same-store sales remained flat.

New York -- Kohl's Department Stores was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce emissions linked to climate change. The retailer was recognized with EPA’s Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement) Award for reducing carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency in its stores and buying renewable energy and installing solar panels.

GE has appointed Charles Nugent as VP, manufacturing, for GE Oil & Gas, reporting to Lorenzo Simonelli, SVP and CEO of GE Oil & Gas.

GE has 192 officers globally who lead large revenue-generating businesses or are in critical technology or functional roles, charged with helping to drive growth.

Nugent has been with the company for 30 years, holding a number of leadership roles in plant management and operations with GE Aviation. Most recently, he served as senior executive of product management at GE Aviation.

Flat fourth-quarter same-store sales didn’t deter DSW from elevating its outlook for physical store locations while also increasing investments related to omnichannel capabilities.

Retailers are enhancing shoppers’ digital in-store experience by adding lots of new applications which can overwhelm existing IT infrastructure. That’s why The Bon-Ton Stores built redundant capabilities with the help of Hughes to enable its e-commerce strategy.

The worlds of technology and fashion continue to merge with the most recent example involving the Fossil Group’s involvement with Google for a new line called Android Wear.

Fossil Group, the $3.3 billion global fashion accessories company, said it was working with Google to support the extension of Android technology in wearable products branded as Android Wear. As part of the launch, Google also released a developer preview of Android Wear so that developers are better able to build rich wearable experiences for their existing Android apps.

New York -- Rwanda, Nigeria, Namibia, Tanzania and Gabon occupied the top five places of the first-ever A.T. Kearney African Retail Development Index (ARDI), a new study designed to help large, organized retailers determine where and how to best enter Sub-Saharan Africa's rapidly growing retail market. The ARDI not only identifies the markets in Africa most attractive for retail expansion today, but those that offer the most potential in the future.

By David Coleman, CEO and founder, Brandoogle

According to a recent IBM report, retailers should no longer feel threatened by the practice of retail showrooming. Agreed, and also great news for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.

Retail showrooming is a known margin killer.

New York -- Organizational, operational and technology challenges are hampering retailers' efforts to meet customers' demand for a seamless shopping experience across all channels and touchpoints. According to a new research study from Accenture and Hybris Software, retailers view omni-channel maturity as a key brand differentiator for their companies, and improving their ability to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience across all channels as a top priority.