Data & Analytics

Reston, Va. -- A total of $46.5 billion was spent online from desktop devices for the full November-December 2013 holiday season, an increase of 10% versus a year ago, according to comScore. While the total represents a record for online holiday spending and a double-digit gain from last year, it nevertheless fell short of comScore's forecasted 14% growth of $48.1 billion in desktop spending.

New York -- Fast-fashion retailer H&M will debut what is being called the first “shoppable TV commercial” during the upcoming Super Bowl. The 30-second ad, which will utilize Delivery Agent’s “t-commerce” platform, will promote David Beckham’s bodwear line, which is sold at H&M.

The in-commercial buying will only be available on "select Samsung Smart TVs.

Dublin, Calif. -- Epicor Software Corporation announced that Grupo Axo, the business partner of internationally renowned retail brands within Mexico, has selected the full Epicor Retail Suite to help support its highly successful and expanding retail operations.

Tech providers unveil key trends for 2014

Technology trends are rippling through the retail real estate universe. Among the most important are new apps that dig deeply into data and automate tasks such as site selection, identifying and diagnosing underperforming stores and much more. Then there are apps that analyze what is going on inside shopping centers and stores. Technology is also helping to address a major change in lease accounting rules.

Trend #1

How we use technology is changing

Target “expects more and pays less” for data centers

From LEDs and controls to rebates and incentives, lighting presents retailers with a myriad of opportunities for savings. Chain Store Age spoke with Regency Lighting’s Judah Regenstreif about lighting trends and the potential for savings, in new stores and existing locations.

What are some of the major trends Regency is seeing in retail lighting?

Destination Maternity Corp. is thinking big. The world’s largest retailer of maternity apparel is bullish on its superstore format, with new locations in Paramus, N.J., and Virginia Beach, Va. The Philadelphia-based company has an estimated 35% to 45% share of the U.S. maternity market.

The two new stores vary in size and have different layouts, as well as some merchandising variations. But both are designed as customer-centric, one-stop shopping resources. And both share a common vision.

Advantages include energy optimization, operational excellence

For a long time, commissioning was predominately associated with the process of testing and balancing (T&B) heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems based on specific standards prior to turning the building over to the owner. But commissioning has come a long way, and today it is a more formal and meticulous quality-assurance process of articulating and verifying that all of the building’s systems perform as they were intended.

Retailers subject to increasing — and costly — environmental scrutiny

“I’m a retailer, not a hazardous waste producer.” If that’s what you think, you may be wrong.

The International Council of Shopping Centers created a terrorist-awareness training program shortly after 9/11. At the time, there were no training programs in place for the shopping center industry.

“We hired George Washington University to develop a program and funded the work with $2 million,” said Malachy Kavanagh, ICSC spokesperson. “We created a 10-module course that is delivered over the Internet. You can learn at your own pace. If you work right through, it will take 14 to 15 hours.”