Data & Analytics

Chicago -- E-commerce and digital marketing company Acquity Group announced Monday social media findings that revealed the vast majority of retailers don’t respond to customer tweets.
 
The 2012 Brand eCommerce Audit evaluated Interbrand's 2012 Best Retail Brands on customer engagement across major digital channels, including big browser, social and mobile.
 

The rapidly changing world of consumer product safety is increasingly fraught with pitfalls for both retailers and manufacturers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) made several significant changes to the law by instituting more onerous reporting obligations, heavier fines for failing to report, and prohibiting the sale of a recalled product, just to name a few. But the news isn’t all bad.

Turkish retailer Migros appears to fit Walmart’s acquisition criteria even if the timing of a potential deal is less than ideal.

Turkey’s leading retailer has been in the headlines a lot this year because the company’s private equity owner, BC Partners, is reportedly looking to dump its ownership position roughly four years after acquiring a majority stake. Various international retailers are said to have had discussions with BC Partners and Walmart is the latest, according to reports this week by the Financial Times, Reuters and other international sources.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark executives expressed optimism going into 2013 and outlined its strategic growth framework, which leverages the company’s unique integrated model, during its annual Analyst Day held on Thursday in New York City.

NEW YORK — Norman Woodland, co-inventor of the bar code which transformed global commerce in the 1970s, passed away Saturday at the age of 91 from complications related to Alzheimer’s, according to a Reuters report.

The advent of the bar code reshaped retail decision-making and supply chains and its impact continues to be felt today. Five billion products are scanned optically using the bar code every day, according to GS1 US, the American arm of the global UPC standards body.

Toronto -- As consumers continue to seek more convenient methods of shopping, through mobile and online, the potential for further sales erosion continues to threaten retailers, according to a new study by branding and design firm Shikatani Lacroix.

The report, “RE:STORE – Redefining Retail,” finds that 59% of U.S. shoppers “showroom” – or browse for products in store but then buy them online.

Philadelphia -- Eighty-one percent of online shoppers say they are not likely to make additional purchases from websites that charge shipping on returns and 69% feeling that returning items purchased online is a complicated process, according to a survey by ShopRunner that was conducted online by Harris Interactive.

Restoration Hardware doesn’t operate many stores, but it is enjoying tremendous momentum at the ones it does operate.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — New York Mets baseball executive Paul DePodesta is the newest member of the Sears Holdings board.

Although his qualifications are somewhat unconventional, DePodesta was elected to the board because his experience as VP of player development and amateur scouting for the Mets is believe to help Sears Holdings in the area of personnel development.

Former Best Buy chairman Richard Schulze is reportedly close to reaching an agreement to buy the company he founded, according to a Minneapolis Star Tribune report citing a source close to the situation.