Data & Analytics

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens reported Tuesday that net sales for the month of May dropped 1.6% to $5.98 billion, compared with $6.08 billion in the year-ago period.

Total front-end sales edged up 0.3%, and same-store sales dipped 1%.

Total sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 were $17.77 billion, down 3.3% from $18.37 billion in the third quarter last year.

Chicago -- Charming Charlie said Tuesday it has selected ShopperTrak to measure, analyze and deliver store-performance data for its nearly 200 locations.

ShopperTrak's Managed Service, which provides access to secure and anonymous foot-traffic data and actionable analyses, is currently being installed in all Charming Charlie stores and will continue through November 2012.

Washington, D.C. -- The number of retailers that fell victim to organized retail crime groups increased in the past, according to the National Retail Federation’s Organized Retail Crime Survey.

Of the 125 retail companies surveyed for NRF’s eighth annual survey, a record-setting (96%) said their company has been the victim of organized retail crime in the past year, up from 94.5% last year. Another 87.7% said ORC activity in the United States has grown over the past three years.

Walmart shareholders may wish the company were investigated more often, judging from the performance of shares since alleged violations by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act first surfaced.

Walmart share’s closed Friday at $65.55, or 5% higher than the $62.45 price they were trading at on Friday, April 20 before The New York Times first reported on allegations of FCPA violations.

Walmart’s strategy of every day low prices underpinned by an every day low cost operating model will work everywhere in the world, according to international division president and CEO Doug McMillon.

Responding to a question about improving international financial returns, McMillon weighed in on the need to deliver on the strategy of every day low prices on a broad assortment and how that is the right approach internationally in large format stores.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sports Authority has launched its first-ever customer loyalty program, The League, which offers members 5% back on their total point balances of 100 points or more earned quarterly. 

RESTON, Va., and ATLANTA — A simple and convenient returns policy is an important factor in the decision to make a purchase online, a new study form comScore and UPS found. According to the Online Shopping Customer Experience Study, 63% of online shoppers look at a retailer’s return policy before making a purchase. Nearly half said they would shop more often and recommend a retailer with a lenient returns policy, indicating its value in driving customer loyalty.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Catalina Marketing named Michael Murray to the newly created role of chief product officer.

Englewood, Col. -- Sports Authority has announced the launch of its first-ever customer rewards program, The League, which offers members 5% back on their total point balances of 100 points or more earned quarterly.

The program offers one of the highest reward funding rates, as well as the lowest reward threshold amongst leaders in the full-line sporting goods retail industry, allowing members qualify for rewards sooner, the retailer said.
 

New York-- Retail executives have more cash, are adding employees and enjoying stronger revenue, but they remain quite guarded longer term, not seeing a complete economic recovery until 2014 or later, according to the 2012 Retail Outlook Survey by audit, tax, and advisory firm KPMG LLP.

In the recent survey, 77% of retail executives indicate that their companies have significant cash on the balance sheet – up from 72% in KPMG's 2011 survey – and 56% say their companies' cash positions have increased from last year.