Data & Analytics

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Discount retailer Stein Mart named Hunt Hawkins COO and expanded his responsibilities to include store operations and e-commerce at the 263-unit chain. Hawkins previously served as EVP and chief administrative officer with responsibility for information technology, supply chain and human resources, responsibilities he will retain in his new role.

By Jacob Thompson

Mobile payments provide retailers an opportunity to take advantage of the newest method of payment. The Center of Retail Research recently released some interesting figures, numbers that clearly shows the growing trend of customers using mobile money. It also predicted that about one out of every 10 shoppers would purchase a gift this holiday season using a mobile device. 

Reston, Va. -- Shoppers spent 14% more for online holiday spending during the week ending Dec. 18, according to comScore. Online spending totaled $6.4 billion for the week, making it the busiest week ever in online holiday shopping.

Shoppers have spent almost $32 billion online for the holiday season to date, a 15% increase from a year ago, comScore reported. The period includes the first 48 days of the holiday season spanning the months of November and December, according to comScore.

San Diego -- Transaction Wireless announced that Sport Chalet has selected the Transaction Wireless cloud-based gift card platform to deliver personalized plastic and e-gift cards with added marketing capabilities to drive digital promotional campaigns when delivering notifications to gift card recipients.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- Three in four (75%) surveyed retail associates and managers feel they provide a better in-store customer experience when equipped with the latest mobile technologies, according to Motorola Solutions’ annual Holiday Shopping Survey.

Shoppers echoed a similar sentiment, with 67% reporting greater satisfaction with stores where associates utilized the latest technologies to assist in the shopping experience. And 43% of shoppers reported that the mobile point of sale improved their shopping experience.

York, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores announced it has signed a new, multi-year private-label credit card program agreement with Alliance Data, a provider of loyalty and marketing solutions.

San Francisco -- A new survey conducted this past weekend by Visa Inc. shows that 77% of consumers still need to buy holiday gifts this week. These last-minute shoppers will spend an average of $278 in the final days leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah.

NEW YORK — Affinity Solutions, a provider of transaction-based marketing programs for financial institutions and retailers in the United States, announced that John Brennan has joined as VP business development.

A new Target store in San Clemente, Calif., was the recipient of a GreenChill GOLD award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. There are a lot of certifications and awards being handed out these days in the world of sustainability, but what makes EPA’s GreenChill GOLD award noteworthy is that the Target store is only the 27th retail location to earn the distinction.

Bethesda, Md. -- IBM on Monday released its Benchmark projection for online sales for the month of December, showing that online sales are expected to grow by 9.5% to 10% year-over-year.

For the week of Dec. 11, the report showed that online sales rose 10.8% over the same week in 2010. Mobile traffic increased to 12.1% of all online retailing sessions, compared with 5% over the same week last year and reflecting a 143.9% increase.