Data & Analytics

NEW YORK — Multichannel retailer Delia’s, which markets primarily to teen girls, continues facing challenges in traffic trends as it wrapped up the second quarter ended Aug. 3 with total revenue of $33.2 million, a 16.7% drop from $39.8 million in the year-ago quarter.

Total m-commerce spending is poised to exceed $25 billion this year following a 24% surge in second quarter smartphone and tablet enabled sales that pushed estimated spending to $4.7 billion, according to digital measurement provider comScore.

The firm said m-commerce spending in the first half of the year totaled $10.6 billion, representing 10% of total digital commerce during that time. With the expected seasonal surge coming in the fourth quarter, m-commerce spending could surpass $25 billion for the full year, according to comScore’s estimates.

NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. saw sales growth and an improved operating margin for the second quarter ended July 31, fueled largely by its performance in China. 

The company’s total sales in the Americas region were lackluster, increasing 2% to $444 million in the second quarter. Comparable-store sales remained flat for the quarter.

Americans are eating more chicken and paying more to do so, according to leading poultry producer Sanderson Farms.

The company said its third quarter sales increased 18.3% to $739 million and profits grew 136% to $67.9 million, or $2.95 a share, compared to profits of $28.7 million, or $1.25 a share.

The strong showing was the result of improved market conditions as whole bird prices remained at historically high prices during the quarter, according to Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., chairman and CEO of Sanderson Farms, Inc.

New York -- Parents shopping for back –to-school goods react positively to ads that focus on sales and deals to maximize their appeal to shoppers, according to SAP Retail, and they react negatively to commercials that only serve as a reminder of the season. Using SAP’s social media analytics software, the company gathered social sentiment around the 2013 back-to-school season, analyzing more than 600,000 conversations across social channels, including Twitter and Facebook.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. has been selected to participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings, which is designed to help improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and protect the environment.

Boston -- Brian Kilcourse, managing partner for Retail Systems Research, took some time out at the Orgill Fall Market Friday to deliver a primer on mobile technology as a driving force in the contemporary retail environment.
 
The seminar, titled "The New Rules of Retail: How Today's Consumer is Changing the Game," positioned mobile technology as a harbinger of a giant "reset" in retail comparable to the Industrial Revolution and onset of the Information Age.
 

West Chester, Pa. -- QVC promoted Alex Miller to the position of senior VP of digital commerce and Dave Caputo to the position of senior VP of TV production and operations.

Miller will now be responsible for the customer experience across QVC's web, mobile, tablet and social platforms.

An acquaintance recently had an experience at Starbucks that shows the negative impact that not providing a seamless omni-channel customer experience can produce. The fact that Starbucks generally offers a superior customer experience and is a leader in omni-channel commerce and promotions demonstrates that no retailer is immune to slipping up in this crucial aspect of the holistic customer service offering.

How many calories in that iced tea at the counter?

By Dawn Palmer, Accenture