Data & Analytics

SEATTLE — Paladino and Company (Paladino), a sustainability and green building consulting firm, has been selected as a winner of Verizon’s 2013 Supplier Recognition Award in the green and sustainability category. The award was given in recognition of Paladino’s overall green strategic focus and longtime partnership in Verizon’s retail store volume program, which resulted in 71 Verizon Wireless stores becoming LEED certified in 2012 and more than 130 total LEED certifications through the end of 2012.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Genesco, a specialty footwear and apparel retailer operating numerous brick-and-mortar and online retail brands including Journeys and Lids.com, reported declines in earnings and net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2014.

The company’s earnings declined 11% to $18.5 million from $20.8.

Net sales decreased 1.5% to $591 million from $600 million. Same-store sales fell 4%. Earnings remained slightly ahead of the company’s expectations.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway has appointed Barry Libenson as senior VP and CIO, effective July 1, 2013. Libenson replaces former Safeway CIO David Ching, who retired earlier this year. He will oversee IT business functions and report to executive VP Larree Renda.

Libenson previously served as senior VP and CIO at Land O’Lakes Inc. since 2010. Other positions he has held include VP of business at Ingersoll-Rand and executive VP at Surety.com.

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer spending dropped 0.2% in April 2013, according to the Commerce Department.

It was the first monthly decline since May of last year and follows increases of 0.1% in March and 0.8% in February. Falling gas prices in April were part of the reason for the drop in spending, with purchases of gas, electricity and other energy goods and services down 4.4%.

In addition, increased Social Security deductions in consumer paychecks may have also contributed to the decline in spending.

STRATHAM, N.H. — Timberland has released its 2012 CSR performance data, showcasing the company's sustainability efforts for that year.

Among those efforts were the following:
•    39% of materials used in Timberland-branded apparel were derived from recycled, organic or renewable sources
•    98% of footwear SKUs used leather sourced from gold or silver rated tanneries

SAN FRANCISCO — Parent company Williams-Sonoma said that its PBteen banner will open its first store in southern California, at The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks Saturday, June 1.
 
The store will be anchored around a PBteen Design Lab, where teens and their parents can engage with the brand and its products by digitally creating a personalized room on a computer monitor. Using drag and drop technology, teens can experiment with different room configurations and color combinations and see it come to life on a television screen overhead.

LONDON — Boticca.com, a London-based global jewelry and accessories boutique, has partnered with U.S. start-up Olapic to encourage its customers to be fashion models — modeling the boutique's merchandise — via the popular app Instagram.

The boutique will showcase users' Instagram photos and regular photography in its online gallery.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway has appointed Land O' Lakes executive Barry Libenson as the company’s SVP and CIO. He succeeds David Ching, who retired earlier this year after 19 years with the company. 

As CIO, Libenson will oversee Safeway's extensive information technology business functions, reporting directly to Safeway EVP Larree Renda. 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Genesco, a specialty footwear and apparel retailer operating numerous brick-and-mortar and online retail brands including Journeys and Lids.com, reported declines in earnings and net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2014.

The company’s earnings declined 11% to $18.5 million from $20.8.

Net sales decreased 1.5% to $591 million from $600 million. Same-store sales fell 4%. Earnings remained slightly ahead of the company’s expectations.

Floor care, water filtration devices and air purifiers generate higher average prices online than in brick-and-mortar stores, according to research from NPD Group.

The research company’s Consumer Tracking Service, looking back at the 12 months ended March 2013, found that consumers are spending significantly more for these home environment cleaning appliances purchased online.