Data & Analytics

Eight months into his role as CEO and with a new merchandising organization in place, David Campisi is following a familiar blueprint to reinvigorate the performance of Big Lots — making hard choices to streamline operations, implementing new merchandising strategies and lowering near-term expectations.

Genesco, the company behind Lids and Journeys, is the latest company to express concern about the holiday season and lower fourth-quarter expectations after producing a solid third-quarter performance.

Black Friday social mentions more than doubled those of Cyber Monday this year. But a new infographic from SAP shows that consumers felt the most excited and happy about Cyber Monday.

The retail industry will lose an estimated $8.76 billion to return fraud this year, and $3.39 billion during the holiday season alone, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2013 Return Fraud Survey. Overall, 5.8% of holiday returns are fraudulent, up slightly from 4.6% last year.

In a move designed to accelerate adoption of RFID at the item level, Avery Dennison has signed a licensing agreement with Round Rock Research.

New York -- Sales at U.S. chain stores were up 2.1% in November, or 3% without the effects of gasoline sales, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. The group had predicted an increase of 3.5% to 4.5%.

“Sales were constrained by weak apparel sales this month,” said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist, ICSC. “November was a very competitive environment for retailers, and the softness in the November tally suggests some cautiousness by consumers.”

New York -- J. Crew Group Inc.'s third-quarter earnings rose 6.8% on improved sales.

For the period ended Nov. 2, J. Crew reported a profit of $35.4 million, up from $33.2 million, a year earlier.

Revenue increased 11% to $618.8 million. Same-store sales role 5%.

Retail store sales grew 7.3% to $420.2 million, while direct sales climbed 21% to $189.8 million.

New York -- TXT Maple Lake, an international provider of integrated and collaborative planning solutions, is pleased to announce that Samsonite Company Stores, the U.S. retail division of Samsonite, is turning to TXT technology in a bid to optimize inventory through more effective merchandise planning.
 
Selling luggage, business cases and accessories under the Samsonite, Samsonite Black Label, and American Tourister brands, Samsonite Company Stores operates retail stores in 38 states across the U.S.  
 

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp's November same-store sales missed analysts' expectations, hurt by lower gasoline prices and weak foreign currencies.

Same-store sales were up 2% in the four weeks ended Dec. 1, including the impact of fuel sales and foreign exchange, short of the 3% gain analysts expected.

November net sales rose 5% to $8.78 billion.

Excluding the negative impact of foreign exchange and falling gasoline prices, same-store sales rose 4%.

Hampstead, Md. – Jos. A. Bank slightly increased its net income to $13.6 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 from $13.3 million in the same period a year earlier. The retailer also saw its net sales grow about 6% to $247.5 million, from $232.8 million.

Same-store sales declined 0.1%, although direct marketing sales increased 23.5% and combined same-store and online sales increased 2.4%. Jos. A. Bank incurred $1.2 million of legal and professional expenses in connection with the company's bid to acquire The Men's Wearhouse.