Data & Analytics

Management consulting firm Kurt Salmon has named Deanna Emsley as a partner in the firm’s Retail and Consumer Products Group.

Emsley has nearly 25 years of experience in retail, specializing in planning, forecasting, distribution and omnichannel. She has worked as a consultant and in-house for top-tier brands, including Williams-Sonoma and Abercrombie & Fitch.

VeriFone Systems, an electronic payments provider, has unveiled next-generation site management solution, Commander Site Controller, and Ruby2, a touchscreen point of sale solution.

New York -- Tractor Supply CEO Greg Sandfort outlined the company's online strategy, borrowing phrases from other multichannel retailers.

“We have to have our site geared to giving customers the options for any way they like to engage with us,” Sandfort said during the recent Goldman Sachs investor conference.

Dayton, Ohio -- Retail design and brand strategy firm Interbrand Design Forum has added nine new associates as business continues to grow with key retail and manufacturing  clients.
 
Allen McCormick has been named executive director, overseeing relationships with key client partners. Becky Lau was hired as senior consultant, strategy and analytics. Aaron Stancik is also new to the Strategy & Analytics group where he will serve as a senior consultant working on projects for Michael Hill and FedEx.

Westwood Village, Calif. — Urban Outfitters has signed a lease with Topa Management Co. for 16,556 sq. ft. in Westwood Village, Calif., more than doubling the size of its presence in the urban village. The McDevitt Co. represented both parties in the transaction.

The new store, Urban Outfitters third largest in California, has original exposed brick wall, ironwork and high ceilings and provides a brand appropriate space for the retailer.

Pleasanton, Calif. – Safeway Inc. saw its net income plunge 58% from $157 million to $65.8 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2013, amid a software impairment charge, higher theft and lower property gains. Results, however, beat expectations however.

Sales grew 1.1% from $8.52 billion to $8.62 billion, driven by a 1.9% improvement in same-store sales.

Shelton, Conn. -- TABS Group, a technology-enabled analytics firm, has announced the formation of a senior-level team dedicated to supporting internal and customer-related initiatives with Walmart.

TABS Group will tap into its new talent base to obtain a comprehensive understanding as to how the largest U.S. retail chain operates on a chain and local level. The insights gained will benefit Walmart and consumer products manufacturers and further contributes to the firm's mission to simplify and improve the way analytics is conducted within the industry.

Foster City, Calif. – Consumers are spending more money via digital commerce than ever before. According to a new survey from Visa and GfK Research, “The Way We Pay,” more than half of respondents are more comfortable spending money online today than five years ago. The data shows that consumers are spending more than they ever have – exceeding $1 billion per day on the Visa network in 188 days since January.

New York -- UGG Australia will launch UGG by You, an online customization tool putting customers in control of the design process and transforming a visit to the retailer’s website from a shopping trip to a creative experience.

The customization tool allows consumers to mix and match an array of color schemes on two classic styles, the UGG Classic Short sheepskin boot and its Fluff Flip Flop, through a user-friendly design tool. There are over 11,000 color, outsole and trim combinations possible through the footwear personalization tool.

Virtual Piggy has become a Demandware LINK Technology Partner. Through the LINK Technology Partner Program, Virtual Piggy has developed a pre-built integration between Virtual Piggy and Demandware Commerce, making it possible for Demandware clients to implement its safe youth commerce solution in a fraction of the time normally required.