Data & Analytics

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion announced that it has selected Mullen as its advertising agency of record. Mullen will be responsible for developing Food Lion's advertising campaigns and partnering with the company on integrated marketing initiatives in support of the Food Lion brand. 

Boston -- On The Spot Systems, a mobile systems provider, announced that 7-Eleven is using its Survey on the Spot mobile survey platform to capture feedback from managers in the field. 7-Eleven recognized the critical importance of gaining timely and accurate market-level data in order to make better business decisions and began using the mobile survey system in March, according to On The Spot Systems.

Grapevine, Texas -- GameStop Corp. on Monday reported nearly flat sales for the nine-week holiday period that ended on Dec. 31. Total sales were $3.02 million, or about the same as last year. Same-store sales slipped 0.3%.

West chester, Pa. -- QVC announced that Linda Dillman has been appointed CIO, Dillman most recently served as senior VP global IT at HP. Previously, she was executive VP and CIO at Wal-Mart Stores.

River Grove, Ill. -- Chuck Follett, president and CEO of Follett Corp., announced his decision to retire after 38 years of service with the company. Follett is the leading operator of college bookstores, and also a major distributor of physical and digital educational materials and services to primary, secondary and university level institutions.

Follett’s board of directors has initiated a search for Follett's successor. Follett will remain the company's president and CEO until a successor is identified.

Cleveland -- Agilysys announced that beauty retailer Sephora Americas has successfully deployed NextPosition by Agilysys and RedIron's 2Mobile software to enhance customer service in a large number of its U.S.-based stores.

Las Vegas -- Sales of consumer electronics fell 5.9% this past holiday season, as smartphones cannibalize sales of standalone gadgets like cameras, camcorders and GPS navigation devices, according to the NPD Group.

Electronics sales, including TVs and PCs, totaled $9.5 billion in the five weeks ending Dec. 24, NPD reported. Camcorder sales fell 43% and sales of digital picture frames were down 38%. GPS units decreased 33%. Television sales were down 4%, bolstered by sales of TVs bigger than 50 inches.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Momentum remains on the side of Family Dollar, as the company late Thursday reported another quarter of record sales and profits and the opening of 101 units, which included its first stores in California.

Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Las Vegas, Market Research Solutions (MRS) is out with a new report that provides unconventional insights into the 2011 holiday season and outlook for 2012.

The Tampa, Fla.-based research firm surveyed 272 department managers in early December at such retailers as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, HhGregg and dominant regional players to gain a unique perspective on a category of business that is the most dynamic in retail. Among some of the key findings MRS provided exclusively to RetailingToday.com were:

Family Dollar reported quarterly results after the market closed Thursday and offered a reminder why Walmart suppliers who participated in last month’s Connecting Northwest Arkansas Supplier Survey ranked dollar stores as the greatest competitive threat to Walmart in the next five years.