Data & Analytics

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears plans to close a store in the Loop section of downtown Chicago in April 2014. Sears spokesperson Howard Riefs announced the closing in an email which said the store’s 160 employees, most of whom are part-time, will be eligible to apply for jobs at other Sears stores in the area and also to receive severance.

New York – Retail CIOs are preparing to take advantage of innovative technologies such as mobile, cloud and social, although they are less involved in efforts to leverage Big Data analytics. A new study of retail CIOs from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Forrester Consulting, “The Global Agenda of Retail CIOs,” retail CIOs plan to rapidly implement an array of mobile technologies, with context-aware tech (32%), mobile payments (28%), digital signage (24%), and mobile POS (22%) leading the way.

Plano, Texas – J.C. Penney Co. released its 2013 Sustainability Report, outlining sustainability initiatives pursued during fiscal year 2012 ended Feb. 2013. Highlights of the report included:

• Stores and Operations: Through the company’s energy conservation efforts, J.C. Penney has received Energy Star certification in more than 500 locations and earned the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award for five consecutive years.

St. Louis -- Brown Shoe Company has selected Agilence Retail 20/20 as its exception reporting solution. The next-generation exception reporting solution will provide Brown Shoe Company with a platform for reporting on point-of-sale transactions, e-commerce, inventory adjustments, financials, and customer loyalty.

Las Vegas – Zappos Couture is launching a redesigned web presence with artistic direction and editorial from new artistic director Andre Leon Talley. Talley and Zappos Couture created the imagery for the new editorial in New York City's Industria Studios in December 2013.

Chicago -- Twenty-four percent of full-time retail employees plan to change jobs in 2014, three points above the average for all workers (21%) and up from 20% in 2013. According to a new survey from Harris Interactive, CareerBuilder and WorkInRetail.com, 51% of retail workers are satisfied with their jobs, down from 60% in 2013.

Adconion Direct, a leading global cross-channel digital advertising company, has named Nathan Jokinen as VP of strategic development. Jokinen spent nearly a decade in business development and digital strategy at Target.

Hudson's Bay Company’s CFO Michael Culhane is reportedly taking a leave of absence from the company. Assuming the CFO role will be Donald Watros, who on Feb. 1 will be stepping into his new role as president of the company.

HBC did not provide further details on Culhane or the CFO spot.

ChannelNet, a leading digital customer acquisition, retention and conquest marketing company, has named Angela Johnson as VP of account management.

The company will be looking to Johnson to help it manage growth. Johnson has more than 20 years of client relationship management and is an expert in developing multichannel solutions for the automotive, high-tech and insurance industries.

Zappos Couture’s website has a new look thanks to new artistic director Andre Leon Talley. Talley and Zappos Couture created the imagery for the new editorial in New York City's Industria Studios in December 2013.