Data & Analytics

Former Motorola executive and early stage technology investor Richard N. Nottenburg, PhD, has joined the board of Theatro, a startup focused on wearable devices.

Nottenburg previously served as president and CEO and a member of the board of directors of Sonus Networks from 2008 to 2010. From 2004 until 2008, Nottenburg was an officer with Motorola, ultimately serving as its EVP, chief strategy officer and chief technology officer. He currently serves on the boards of PMC Sierra, Verint Systems and Aeroflex Corporation.

New York -- Fast-fashion retailer H&M will debut what is being called the first “shoppable TV commercial” during the upcoming Super Bowl. The 30-second ad, which will utilize Delivery Agent’s “t-commerce” platform, will promote David Beckham’s bodwear line, which is sold at H&M.

The in-commercial buying will only be available on "select Samsung Smart TVs.

In The Pink drives data to stores

For upscale retailers, providing an intimate and responsive customer experience is even more critical than it is for more mainstream chains. In The Pink, a Falmouth, Mass.-based, seven-unit affiliate of specialty retailer Lilly Pulitzer, is disrupting both how customer service is delivered in its stores and how IT vendors deliver technology to retailers.

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Amazon.com and L.L. Bean tied for the highest company-level customer satisfaction scores during the 2013 holiday season. According to the ForeSee Experience Index: 2013 U.S. Retail Edition, Amazon and L.L. Bean both scored 90, while Priceline had the lowest company-level satisfaction score (75) of 100 top retailers included in the Index.

The study offers a comprehensive view of satisfaction at the company-level and across every applicable sales channel including store, contact center, web and mobile.

The nation’s largest arts and crafts retailer plans to go public this year and the launch of a new ecommerce platform that gives Michaels Stores long overdue online sales capabilities is a key element of its growth strategy.

The only sure thing about disruption is that it will continue evolving at an increasingly rapid pace and in new and surprising directions. But for a last word, perhaps the industry should consider the following prediction from Nikki Baird, managing partner of RSR Research, on where disruption may be headed for 2014.

New York -- Shareholder rights law firm Robbins Arroyo LLP is investigating whether certain officers and directors of Barnes & Noble, Inc. breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.

The emergence of omnichannel commerce is dramatically changing the retail equation, both in how customers travel the path to purchase and how retailers anticipate and meet customer demand. Mike Webster, senior VP and general manager of Oracle Retail, offered Chain Store Age his perspective on how retailers must alter their approach to both systems and business processes to ensure they deliver a seamless experience across all customer touchpoints, one that both converts sales and builds long-term satisfaction and loyalty.