Data & Analytics

New York -- The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index (Index) posted its fourth consecutive increase in June, rising to 3.22 from a reading of 3.09 the previous month. The Index, which tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending, is comprised of four components: tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices.

New York -- Foursquare announced the release of Local Updates, a new way for retailers to connect with loyal customers when they are nearby. The free tool will allow retailers to offer deals and specials to users in the area that have previously “Liked” or checked-in at their establishment.

Purchase, N.Y. -- June spending at small retailers increased 8% in 2012 compared to June 2011, higher than the overall U.S. retail growth rate of 6.9%, according to a new SpendingPulse report issued by MasterCard Advisors in partnership with Wells Fargo. The same report also found that sales growth at small retailers has now outperformed growth of overall retail sales for nine consecutive months, since October 2011.  

NEW YORK — Best Buy plans to hire 500 new Geek Squad staffers. The move comes some two weeks after the retailer said it would lay off 600 existing workers in the tech support arm of its business as it looked to focus the group less on basic installation services and more on remote tech consulting. It also comes as Verizon announced it was partnering with Geek Squad to offer services to meet the information technology requirements of small and mid-size businesses across the country.

NEW YORK — The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index continues to rise, thanks to improvements in the housing market.

New York -- Best Buy plans to hire 500 new Geek Squad staffers. The move comes some two weeks after the retailer said it would lay off 600 existing workers in the tech support arm of its business as it looked to focus the group less on basic installation services and more on remote tech consulting. It also comes as Verizon announced it was partnering with Geek Squad to offer services to meet the information technology requirements of small and mid-size businesses across the country.

Palo Alto, Calif. -- Mobile retail navigation service aisle411 said Tuesday that it is rolling out its virtual mapping and navigation smartphone app for use in Walgreens’ 7,907 drug stores nationwide.

The service will allow Walgreens shoppers to use their smartphones to view maps of any Walgreens store and to locate products down to a particular section of each aisle.

Walgreens is the first national retailer with all of its stores mapped in a mobile application.

Pittsburgh -- Ikea has plugged in the new solar energy system installed at its Pittsburgh-area store in Robinson Township, Pa. The 86,800-sq.-ft. PV array consists of a 694-kW system, built with 2,884 panels. It will produce approximately 852,200 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 648 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 115 cars or powering 73 homes yearly.