Data & Analytics

Los Angeles -- Boingo Wireless has announced agreements with mall owners Westfield and Cafaro to manage and operate retail Wi-Fi networks in several of each developer’s shopping centers.

With this agreement, Boingo now manages Wi-Fi networks in 33 malls across the country.
 

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS Caremark on Tuesday released an economic impact study of its contribution to the economy of its headquarters state of Rhode Island.

The Pricewaterhouse Coopers-conducted study showed that the company's Rhode Island operations contributed more than $1.2 billion to Rhode Island's GDP in 2010, approximately 12,000 jobs, $831 million in labor income, and $116 million in state and local taxes.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the Commerce Department showed that consumer spending on retail goods rebounded in January after a flat holiday season.

Retail sales rose at a seasonally adjusted 0.4% last month, as consumers upped spending at department and general merchandise stores, as well as bought more electronics, home and garden supplies and sporting goods. Excluding autos, building materials and fuel sales, retail spending leaped 0.7%.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Altierre, a provider of ultra low-power wireless solutions for retailers, has announced that retail industry veteran and former Longs Drug Stores CEO Steve Roath has joined the company’s board of directors.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets on Monday reported an increase in 2011 sales of 5% to $2.8 billion.

Weis said its comparable sales for the calendar year also were up, increasing 4.2% for 2011, compared with the year-ago period.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Friday launched @WAGSocialCare, a Twitter customer hotline that takes on complaints and praise from Walgreens customers via the social media site. The site is being followed only by 20 "tweeters" through Monday, as compared with the more-than 90,000 who follow Walgreens' corporate Twitter account.

Target is looking to get ahead of the curve in major media markets by placing communications executives in such places as Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto in addition to those at the Minneapolis home office, Ad Age reported on Monday.

Sunbury, Pa. -- Weis Markets reported Monday that net income for the year ended Dec. 31 increased 10.7% to $75.6 million. Sales for the period rose 5% to $2.8 billion, and same-store sales increased 4.2%.

In the fourth quarter, the grocer saw an even stronger performance, as net income surged 37%, sales rose 11.4% and comps increased 4.8%.
 

By Steven Kramer, [email protected]

Sporting a physical design identical to the iPhone 4 and a total lack of expected features, initial reactions to the iPhone 4S were that it hardly seemed capable of living up to Apple’s claim as “the most amazing iPhone yet”.

In case you missed it, Kate Berg, president of Bentonville-based Collective Bias, shared her views about where social media is headed and what it means for brands in the most recent issue of Connecting Northwest Arkansas. Berg is helping invent the future at the rapidly growing social shopper agency so it’s worth taking a minute to get inside her head. Read more.