Data & Analytics

Pittsburgh –- Multi-format food, fuel and pharmacy retailer Giant Eagle Inc. is piloting smart devices from Brickstream for capturing and analyzing in-store data at six stores. Brickstream’s hardware and software solutions deliver the equivalent of “clickstream” analytics for the brick-and-mortar world.   

A much anticipated acceleration of small format Walmart stores failed to materialize on Wednesday when the retailer announced plans to curtail domestic new store growth in 2016.

Oklahoma City, Okla. –- With plans to open 28 stores by the end of 2014, 30 or more new stores during 2015 and 50-plus stores every year thereafter, the 300-plus-unit convenience and fuel chain Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores needs a robust platform. As Love’s executives explained during a session at the recent SAP Retail Forum in New York, the retailer is turning to SAP to provide that platform.  

New York -- Calvin Klein has deployed an interactive shopping experience at Macy's Herald Square store in New York City, soon to be rolling out at 18 other Macy's locations nationwide this year. Using dynamic marketing technologies from Creative Realities, Calvin Klein is employing interactive touch display and sales assistance applications developed by Creative Realities to support shoppers as they navigate the denim category.   

By Leela Rao-Kataria, GT Nexus    When most people are asked what the busiest holiday for retailers’ is they immediately cite the traditional holiday season. But most consumers don’t realize back-to-school shopping is the second biggest shopping season in the United States. And unlike the winter holidays, back-to-school has an additional challenge for retailers: it’s the longest running holiday season, extending over three months.    

Redwood City, Calif. -- Shopping app Shopkick reported on results of its end-to-end, iBeacon compatible technology, shopBeacon, with inaugural partner American Eagle Outfitters. The teen retailer installed shopBeacon technology at over 100 locations and has tested its impact on shopper behavior over the past months.     

Minneapolis -- Few companies (5%) believe they are “advanced” when it comes to omnichannel capabilities, and between 35% and 40% believe they are lagging, according to a report by SPS Commerce, a provider of enterprise retail cloud services. The company’s third annual “Retail Insight” report confirms the cross-functional challenges retailers, suppliers and logistics firms face as they build omnichannel capabilities into their operations.   

Hamilton, N.J. -- Voxware, a voice application company, announced that Whole Foods Market saw productivity gains of 25-35% after implementing the latest version of Voxware’s voice solution in the grocer’s largest distribution center. Whole Foods has expanded its deployment of Voxware Voice Management Suite to its other nine DCs with scheduled completion in Oct. 2014.