Data & Analytics

Nehausen, Switzerland -- Tyco Retail Solutions, a provider of retail performance and security solutions, has entered into a patent license agreement with Round Rock Research, LLC regarding RFID solutions. The agreement resolves the involvement of some Tyco retail clients in a patent infringement suit Round Rock filed in January 2012.

Tennis is an individual game, and tennis players have individual tastes when it comes to buying gear and apparel. For Houston-based Tennis Express, a specialty retailer of tennis equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories, segmenting customers in order to better meet their individual needs and tastes is shaping up to be a winning effort.

By Carole Murphy

Los Angeles — The retail availability rate fell 70 basis points in 2013, reaching 12% and reflecting continued net absorption gains, according to a report from CBRE. The rate fell 30 basis points in the fourth quarter, which matches the momentum of the first half of 2013 after a flat third quarter.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway and Giant Eagle are rolling out the inMarket Mobile to Mortar iBeacon location sensing platform at more than 150 grocery stores in Seattle, San Francisco, and Cleveland, with additional retailers and markets launching in the coming months. iBeacons are micro-location technology that use a low-energy Bluetooth signal to enable unique mobile app experiences based on the customer’s location in the store.

Coppell, Texas – The Container Store Group Inc. saw its net income drop about 2%, to $5.2 million from $5.3 million, during the third quarter of fiscal 2013. This occurred while net sales grew 7.3%, to $188.3 million from $175.4 million, and same-store sales increased 4.7%.

Framingham, Mass. – Staples and Zonoff are expanding the Staples Connect platform in stores and online, including new ecosystem device partners, support for additional wireless protocols, and the opening of a Manhattan in-store display. Companies announcing support for the 2014 expansion of the Staples/Zonoff ecosystem include Kwikset, Netgear, Radio Thermostat, Centralite, Withings, Waxman, Goji, Koubachi, and Rachio.

Cupertino, Calif. – Apple Inc. has reportedly opened a digital store on the Chinese online marketplace Tmall. According to the Wall Street Journal, the design of the Tmall digital store is similar to the design of Apple’s own Chinese e-commerce site.

Atlanta – Havertys reported partial financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013, with sales for the fourth quarter increasing 7.6% to $196.2 million, compared with $182.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2012. On a same-store basis, sales for the quarter increased 9.5%.

Sales for the 12 months of 2013 totaled $746.1 million, compared with $670.1 million in 2012, representing an increase of 11.3%. On a same-store basis, sales increased 11% for the 12 months.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Tractor Supply Company is renewing its Revionics Price Optimization license for three years and expanding the partnership to include the use of Revionics Markdown Optimization. Tractor Supply has used Revionics Price Optimization for regular price management and optimization during the past three years to drive regionalized, shopper-centric everyday value pricing.