Data & Analytics

New York -- Coach Inc. on Tuesday reported a 12% drop in net income in its fourth quarter amid weaker same-store sales in North America, and also said it would sell its Reed Krakoff business to a group led by Reed Krakoff, who will depart the company as executive creative director when the deal is completed.

Emeryville, Calif. – Consumers in the U.S. and U.K. feel overwhelmed by targeted apparel marketing messages, but are responsive to messaging that includes genuinely personalized information. A new study of 409 U.S. and U.K. consumers from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) indicates that 66% of consumers say that many personalized apparel messages are annoying because attempts at personalization are superficial.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot reported a net loss, as well as declining total sales and same-store sales, during a disappointing second quarter of fiscal 2013. The retailer’s net loss of $64 million was the same net loss it reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. Excluding pre-tax charges, including some relating to the planned OfficeMax merger, and non-cash store asset impairment charges, the net loss would have been $28 million.

Weak second-quarter financial results from Office Depot offered the latest evidence of the strategic rationale underpinning the company’s pending merger with longtime rival OfficeMax.

Office Depot said sales in the second quarter ended June 29 declined 4% to roughly $2.4 billion and it posted a net loss of $64 million, or 23 cents a share, equal to a loss reported in the second quarter the prior year.

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation saw a slight uptick in customer traffic and same-store sales improvement for each of its major product categories — apparel, footwear and hardgoods — which contributed to a 4.4% same-store sales increase for the second quarter ended June 30 compared to the prior-year period. 

Net sales for the quarter increased to $239.9 million from $226.6 million for the second quarter last year. 

New York -- Consumers continue to hold tight to their purse strings and will rely heavily on online and mobile channels while they shop, according to Deloitte’s annual “Back-to-School” and “Back-to-College” surveys. 

Shoppers are far more optimistic about the economy than this time last year. Nearly four in 10 (37%) are more confident in the economy’s prospects, compared with just one-quarter (26%) a year ago. 

A former editor used to tell me “A picture is worth a thousand words – a thousand words you don’t have to write.” For omnichannel retailers, the value of video is even greater than that of still photography to journalists. As the popularity of online video content continues to climb with consumers, retailers ignore its potential as a means of customer engagement at their own risk.

TORONTO -- MI9 announced that Samsonite Company Stores, the North American retail and ecommerce division of Samsonite, has selected MI9 to provide its omnichannel retail platform.

Camp Hill, Pa. -- Rite Aid is launching a loyalty program for consumers 65 and up. The new program is the latest extension of the chain’s customer loyalty program wellness+.

New York -- Walmart had the top online retail site for back-to-school shoppers last week, according to sales data and analysis from Experian Marketing Services (EMS). Rounding out the top five: J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Office Max and Sears. 

Experian noted that brick and mortar stores are getting the majority of search traffic to date. The company also said that offers in subject lines were present on 37% of back- to-school email, and generated 57% of total email revenue in 2012.