Data & Analytics

STOCKHOLM — H&M will become the first fashion company to roll out garment collecting in select stores worldwide as part of their sustainability initiative.

Woonsocket, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy has introduced a variety of new features to its mobile suite, which consists of the CVS mobile app and a mobile-optimized website at m.CVS.com.

The new features range from health resources that make it easier to schedule immunizations and identify pills, to a sleeker look and feel for the CVS Mobile app that makes mobile shopping a snap.

By Kevin Hart, Tekserve

New York -- Dick’s Sporting goods will pay $2 special dividend before year end in a move to help investors avoid what are presumed to be higher dividend tax rates in 2013 and beyond.

The dividend payment will be made from cash on hand, according to the company.

Chicago — The overwhelming majority of retailers offer some kind of service for mobile shoppers, and one national retail pharmacy chain was named among those leading the way, according to a new study.

Digital marketing and e-commerce company Acquity Group released results of a report showing that 82% of retailers have a mobile-optimized site, 72% have a mobile or tablet app, and 66% have both. Most of them, 88%, use basic mobile capabilities like shopping carts, while 85% use featured products, 63% use customer reviews, and 54% use contact forms.

New York -- Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe’s is telling investors and analysts that changes are in the works, a message it has delivered steadily over the last several quarters.

Camp Hill, Pa. — As expected, Hurricane Sandy left its mark on Rite Aid's monthly sales as the chain reported a decline in comps for November.

The company said the 3% decrease in same-store sales for the five-week period ended Saturday included a 0.5% decrease in front-end comps and a 4.2% decrease in pharmacy comps, while same-store prescription count increased 2.2% compared with the same time last year.

Minneapolis -- Sprouts Farmers Market has installed enterprise asset management software from Verisae to support the company’s aggressive growth strategy.

The grocery retailer, which recently acquired Sunflower Farmers Market, recently implemented core modules of the Verisae connected facility platform; enterprise asset management (EAM), enterprise refrigerant management (ERM) and enterprise asset purchasing (EAP) solutions.

Burlington, Mass. -- Demandware announced Ethan Allen Interiors will leverage the Demandware Commerce platform as the digital foundation of its global expansion strategy.

Ethan Allen recently launched its first site on the Demandware platform in Canada to coincide with the grand opening of its first Design Center in Montreal. Ethan Allen plans to re-launch its U.S. e-commerce site with Demandware in 2013 in addition to site launches in other countries, including Europe, to support its new design center in Brussels.