Data & Analytics

 

Reliability and customer comfort are just two of the advantages casual dining chain Hooters of America receives from its POS environment, which is based on traditional fixed POS terminals. The Atlanta-based chain, which operates 190 corporate stores as well as 12 franchised locations where it supports POS operations, has been using POS hardware from Posiflex Business Machines since 2006.

 

By Lyle Bunn

 

Increasingly, more and more stores are utilizing flat-panel screens for digital messaging and customer engagement. Such initiatives are being advanced by a wide range of departments, from marketing to technology.  And they are referred to by a variety of names, including digital place-based media, retail media, dynamic signage, location-based digital display and enterprise media (the term digital signage is a bit dated.)   

Newtown Square, Penn. –- SAP has released the Bilt mobile app, which provides interactive, 3D, voice-guided assembly, repair and installation instructions in application for iOS and Android tablets. Bilt digitally enables consumers to find the product best fit for them and assemble it as quickly and easily as possible.   

SearsRugs.com is the name of a new online marketplace that promises to make shopping for high end affordable rugs easy and fun.

The site launched recently and promises access to tens of thousands of the best handmade and machine-made rugs from around the world. SearsRugs.com, a licensee of Sears Holdings, said it is working with the retailer to provide an easy and fun shopping experience and indicated the relationship would give SearsRugs.com a substantial position in the online rug market.

 

Downsized facilities management departments. Projects that reduce maintenance and operating costs. Store refreshes as opposed to costly remodels. Mandy Rennehan of Freshco Retail Maintenance spoke with Chain Store Age about how changes in retail facilities management are impacting retailers.

 

What trends are you seeing with regard to store retrofits and remodels?

Deerfield, Ill. -– Same-store sales at Walgreen Co. grew 5.6% in October. Total sales were $6.8 billion, an increase of 6.9% from $6.36 billion for the same month in fiscal 2014.   Total front-end sales increased 2.7% in October compared with the same month in fiscal 2014, while same-store front-end sales increased 2%.   

Chicago -- A majority (54%) of shoppers said they would shop both online and in-store this holiday season, according to a survey by Retale, a location-based mobile platform. Twenty-four percent said they planned to shop in brick-and-mortar stores only, and  22% said online only.   The survey uncovered a number of differences among Android and Apple users, which accounted for 89% of those surveyed:   

San Francisco -- Eight in ten Americans are likely to shop at local businesses during the upcoming holiday season, according to a 2014 nationwide Nielsen survey commissioned by Yelp. Nearly half (47%) plan to spend more than $100 at local businesses.