Data & Analytics

Brisbane, Calif. -- Veteran entrepreneur and executive Narry Singh has been named to the board of directors of Bebe Stores.

Singh, who holds more than 20 years of business experience with a focus on digital entertainment, new media, software and e-commerce, was most recently chief executive of mobile entertainment provider Outfit7.
 

Washington, D.C. -- Total retail sales increased 0.1% in April from March, according to figures released Monday by the U.S. Commerce Department. The increase, an improvement from a 0.5% decline in March, beat the 0.3% drop economists had predicted in a Bloomberg survey.  

Excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, sales  increased 0.6% seasonally adjusted from last month and increased 3.9% unadjusted year-over-year, according to the National Retail Federation.

Boston -- A landmark project in Boston’s Downtown Crossing has launched leasing. Millennium Partners has appointed Cushman & Wakefield as the exclusive retail leasing agent for its Millennium Tower/Burnham Building project, which is the site of the former Filene’s Department Store and consists of the landmark 1912 Burnham Building and a contemporary, mixed-use tower that will rise 625 ft. into the Boston skyline.  

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced a strategic agreement with MobileBits Holdings Corp., provider of SAMY, a mobile marketing and engagement platform, to acquire DDR's proprietary location-based mobile marketing solution ValuText.

MobileBits will integrate the ValuText product into the SAMY solution and will make the solution available to DDR tenants and shopping centers. SAMY is an innovative 'mobile mall' application that allows shoppers to gain instant access to the latest discounts, coupons and loyalty cards, via their mobile devices.

BRISBANE, Calif. — Bebe has named global entrepreneur Narry Singh to the company’s board of directors. 

Singh has been an entrepreneur, hands-on executive, adviser and deal-maker for more than 20 years, with a focus on launching and growing businesses in the digital entertainment, new media, e-commerce and software sectors. Singh was recently selected by the United Nations Foundation as one of their Top 10 “Global Entrepreneurs” and will serve as their entrepreneurship and innovation ambassador for two years.

CINCINNATI — Vantiv, a leading provider of payment processing services and related technology solutions for merchants and financial institutions, is combining point-of-sale redemption technology with the Visa Offers platform for cardholders and merchants of all sizes. 

The upgraded technology will help drive additional value at the point-of-sale. 

WESTBORO, Mass. — BJ's Wholesale will leverage Micros-Retail's loss prevention and business analytics solution, XBR Ingenium, to increase its asset protection team’s investigative capabilities and productivity.

Micros-Retail XBR Ingenium will allow BJ’s to generate flexible and behavioral exception reports, so it can focus on key areas of fraudulent activity. The business solution offers an interactive dashboard, so field users can quickly spot high-risk areas in their stores and districts.  

GREAT NECK, N.Y. — FamilyPet Network has re-launched its revamped e-commerce platform, Coupaw.com — a site that offers pet owners deals on a wide variety of pet care products and services.

The newly designed site features a streamlined user interface, an improved shopping cart and faster order-to-checkout processing speeds. Coupaw.com offers daily deals to users on items like pet supplies, treats, pet sitting services and home goods.

SEATTLE — Amazon has launched its own currency, which customers will be able to use to purchase apps, games and in-app items from the Amazon Appstore and on Kindle Fire.

To celebrate the launch, existing and new Kindle Fire customers in the U.S. have had 500 free Coins — a $5 value — deposited into their Amazon accounts. 

PHOENIX — PetSmart has appointed former Sara Lee executive Carrie Teffner as the company’s new SVP and CFO.

Teffner has more than 20 years of management experience, most recently serving as EVP and CFO at Weber-Stephen Products LLC, a leading manufacturer and exporter of barbecue grills and accessories worldwide.