Data & Analytics

VeriFone and Lenovo teamed up to develop a mobile point of sale platform that promises to meet retail needs for Windows-based systems compatible with existing retail store systems.

The platform integrates a ThinkPad Tablet 2 based on the Intel Atom Z2760 processor with VeriFone's secure PAYware Mobile technology designed exclusively for the Lenovo tablet.

Digimarc Corporation, a digital solutions company, has added audio watermarking to its Digimarc Discover mobile engagement platform. An audio watermark is embedded in an audio signal and identifies ownership of copyright, so retailers and brands can differentiate Digimarc’s solution from competing technologies. 

Digimarc’s mobile engagement platform is designed to enable retailers and brands to simplify and enhance mobile consumer engagement, build brand loyalty and drive purchase opportunities from each component of their marketing campaigns. 

Naperville, Ill. – OfficeMax has signed a lease agreement to open the first of its business solutions center concept stores in Chicago. The 3,900-sq.-ft. store, located in a currently unoccupied space at 550 St. Clair Street in the Streeterville neighborhood, will open later this summer and cater to the needs of business customers.

Special services for business customers will include enhanced technology support, marketing, document and shipping services, and expert associates.

Hasbro and Electronic Arts have taken their relationship to the next level and extended their agreement, which will see EA develop several of Hasbro’s bestselling gaming brands for mobile platforms globally. 

Seattle – Nordstrom is expanding a trial of marking the items in its stores that receive the most pins on Pinterest with small “P” logos. As reported by BusinessWeek, Nordstrom is taking the pilot from two to 13 stores.

Nordstrom, which has 4.5 million Pinterest followers, gives store associates access to an online dashboard that notifies which items the store has in stock are most pinned in their geographic area. The pilot is expected to conclude later this month.

Longtime financial executive and former Walmart U.S. CFO Michael Fung is helping discounter 99 Cents Only modernize inventory systems that have resulted in a series of accounting issues.

Fung, 62, retired from Walmart in early 2012, but was called back into service this past January by the private equity owners of 99 Cents Only. Fung was named interim chief administrative officer at the company to oversee finance, information technology and real estate. In addition, 99 Cents Only board member and former Food Lion president and CEO Richard Anicetti was named interim CEO.

New York -- MPW Engineering provided design and specifications of the refrigeration and refrigeration energy management systems for the newly converted Walgreen’s store in the Empire State Building in Manhattan.

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in June 2012 vs. June 2013 and noticed some common overall trends across top retail chains. Although Staples and Walmart each saw large year-over-year increases in circular page count, page count was fairly stable overall, with none of these key retailers seeing a decrease of more than 13%.