Data & Analytics

AVON, Ohio — Duck Tape brand duct tape is inviting consumers to design the next Duck Tape print for the chance to win $5,000 and have their design seen nationwide.

Designs drawn by hand or with digital editing software are welcome, and entries must be created using one of the Duck Tape design templates found on the Facebook contest tab to be considered.

CHICAGO — PacSun has partnered with Lyons Consulting Group to upgrade both their e-commerce and mobile sites. 

Lyons Consulting Group migrated the site onto the more robust Demandware platform and added several custom features, including thirteen third party integrations such as Gigya Social Sign in and Visa V.Me. Through this process, lyonscg produced a more flexible front-end, improved content manageability, all while creating a fun, engaging, and intuitive shopping experience when browsing either the ecommerce or mobile sites.

Chicago -- PacSun announced Monday it has partnered with Lyons Consulting Group to upgrade its e-commerce and mobile sites. PacSun said it had outgrown its previous platform and needed a more scalable solution in order to support its growth and provide the shopping capabilities that their shoppers have come to expect.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation reported Monday that September retail sales – excluding autos, fuel and restaurants – increased a seasonally adjusted 0.4%, thanks to strong showings from clothing and electronics stores.

Unadjusted, retail sales gained 2.1% year over year.

New York -- Deloitte’s Consumer Spending Index rose in September, aided by a near 11% gain in home prices. The Index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by the Commerce Department showed that retail sales in the U.S. climbed more than anticipated in September, boosted by unexpected increases in household spending.

Sales advanced 1.1% in September, on the heels on a 1.2% increase in August that was the biggest since Oct. 2010. The median forecast of 77 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 0.8% rise in September.

New York -- Learn how Chico's FAS is staying ahead of the information evolution and providing personalized customer interactions at a Chain Store Age webinar on Thursday, Oct. 18 ( 2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT). Bob Murray, architect of Chico's Store Technology, will discuss such top-of-mind imperatives as loyalty, mobile, and seamless digital connections with the customer in the omni-channel market space.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples is now offering its customers the chance to pre-order the latest computers and tablets optimized for Microsoft Windows 8 through its exclusive "8 Was Easy" program.

Customers can pre-order the computers and tablets online or in stores and receive free personalized training and free support. Consumers who purchase any Windows 8 PC regularly priced $699 and above will also receive free data transfer from their old computer.

Neil Ashe, president and CEO of global e-commerce was clearly the most excitable person on stage Wednesday at Walmart’s 19th annual analysts' meeting. And for good reason.

Walmart created its global e-commerce group two years ago and Ashe joined the company back in January. Wednesday was his first opportunity to participate in the company’s annual analysts’ meeting and he made the most of it, slipping in a first ever reference to Walmart’s online revenues that now total $9 billion.

SAN FRANCISCO — Fujitsu Frontech North America, a technology and front-end solutions provider and Retail Pro, a provider of software applications for the specialty retail industry, announced a strategic business alliance that bundles Fujitsu hardware with Retail Pro software for a total point of sale solution. The alliance features bundled, purpose-built retail solutions that are intended to address the growing specialty segment of the retail industry, by providing sleek hardware, simplified software integration and rapid deployment for customers.