Data & Analytics

ST. LOUIS — Aisle411, a mobile retail navigation service, has expanded its mobile shopping and searchable store maps smartphone app’s e-footprint. Consumers can now use the app at more than 12,000 retail stores nationwide. 

By Liz Moughan, Kronos Incorporated

Sometimes uncertainty causes us to put off things we should do now.

This is true when it comes to retailers and their preparation for complying with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In fact, 56% of organizations reported that they hesitated to initiate any changes in 2012, preferring instead to wait until the Supreme Court decision and the 2012 elections before they took any major actions.

Omaha, Neb. -- Apparel and home-décor retailer Gordmans said Tuesday it has appointed Geoffrey Ayoub as senior VP planning, allocation and analysis.

Ayoub joins Gordmans from EDCON, a South African-based retailer operating over 1,000 stores in multiple retail formats throughout five countries. At EDCON, he served as chief planning officer responsible for all aspects of merchandise planning, allocation, replenishment and merchandise analysis.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Global footwear company Deckers Outdoor Corporation, known for its Ugg and Teva brands, has selected the GT Nexus platform to improve supply chain collaboration and visibility. 

The cloud-based platform eliminates manual processes, paper and spreadsheets to streamline supply management processes. It also allows Deckers to monitor the movement of products and payments from order through delivery and settlement.

Oakland, Calif. -- Global footwear brand Deckers Outdoor Corp. announced it is using the GT Nexus cloud-based supply chain platform to improve supply chain collaboration and visibility.

The parent to the Ugg Australia and Teva labels said the platform will replace EDI and point solutions with a multi-enterprise network solution connecting external supply chain partners to Deckers’ ERP system and providing real-time performance updates.

Aston, Pa. -- Actions Services Group has announced a service agreement with Strategic Restaurants Acquisition Co. to provide exterior sign and lighting maintenance services for its 295 Burger King restaurant units.

The two-year maintenance program covers proactive, scheduled quarterly visits to Strategic Restaurants’ units to inspect, repair and/or replace lamps, ballasts, sockets, electrodes, tube supports, wiring within the sign or light fixture LED or non-LED redband, LED or non-LED channel letters, neon transformers and secondary wiring.

Washington, D.C. -- Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 3.3% in May over the same month last year, but growth could trickle to a standstill by the end of the summer, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has announced plans to conduct in-depth safety inspections at every single factory in Bangladesh that produces goods for the retailer. The company says it aims to complete all reviews within six months and publicly release the names and inspection information on all 279 factories.