Data & Analytics

NEW YORK — Totsy, a leading private sale site aimed at parents, has grown its membership to five million and will expand its daily deal offerings with its acquisition of Mamasource, a leading daily deal site for moms.

Headquartered in New York, Totsy is a privately held company that connects its members with essential products and brands designed for expecting moms, parents, babies and kids at sample sale prices. Mamasource is one of the largest mom focused community and commerce sites on the Internet, founded in 2005 and

Purchase, N.Y. -- Total retail sales (excluding automotive) for December 2012 grew by 2.4% year-over-year, according to a SpendingPulse report released Wednesday by MasterCard Advisors, the professional services arm of MasterCard. (SpendingPulse reports on national retail sales and is based on aggregate sales activity in the MasterCard payments network, coupled with estimates for all other payment forms, including cash and check.)

Boston -- The number one reason people choose to shop either in-person or online is convenience and not price, according to the results of a new survey released by Continuum, a global design and innovation consultancy. Continuum's 2012 Service Design Report looked at data from more than 1,000 consumers across the country and uncovered the top reasons they choose whether to shop in-stores or online.

The top reasons respondents say they shop in stores are:
• For convenience (40%);
• They don't trust the quality online (22%);

Chicago -- National retail sales increased 2.5% and foot traffic also increased 2.5% when compared with the same two months last year, according to ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter of retail foot traffic.

ShopperTrak’s initial data indicates that shoppers spent $248.8 billion during this period, which marked the third consecutive year with positive total retail sales. It also was the second holiday season of the past three with positive foot traffic changes.

Redmond, Wash. – Tesco has chosen Microsoft Office 365 for its companywide collaboration and social platform. The U.K.-based retailer is committed to deploying Office 365 to its employees working at the company's headquarters, in the field and in stores, across all its locations in Europe and Asia.

Abilene, Kansas -- ALCO Stores and Revionics Inc. announced a multi-year partnership, which will support optimal pricing decisions throughout ALCO’s 217 stores.

Revionics Life Cycle Price Optimization solutions and Analytic Solutions will enable ALCO to design and execute regional, localized pricing initiatives, timing of markdowns, promotional pricing and analysis of customer market baskets and key volume items.

Los Gatos, Calif. -- BrightSign that LifeProof has deployed the company’s players in point-of-purchase displays in Best Buy retail stores. LifeProof, a manufacturer of rugged cases for iPhone and iPad, is using 1,600 inline displays in Best Buy’s 800 U.S.-based stores to engage customers and generate sales in the increasingly competitive iOS accessories market.

Just when things seem to be looking up for Sears Holdings, chairman Edward Lampert will assume the additional responsibilities of CEO following the revelation that current chief executive Lou D’Ambrosio will leave the company for family medical reasons.

News of D’Amrosio’s departure comes as the Sears Holdings preannounced improved profitability for the fist nine weeks of the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending February 2, D’Amrosio’s last day.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — Lower in-store traffic at GameStop during the holiday resulted in a decline in same-store sales during the first nine weeks of the company’s fourth quarter.

Total global sales for the nine-week period ended December 29 decreased 4.6%, compared to com 2011 holiday sales period. Comparable store sales decreased 4.4%, with U.S. comps of -3.5% and international comps of -6.4%.

Online prices are now part of Target’s "low price promise" following an adjustment to the three year old price matching program.