Data & Analytics

MINNEAPOLIS — While other retailers are beefing up their sales staff ahead of the holiday season, Best Buy Co. said Tuesday that it has cut its 2011 seasonal hiring plans to about half of last year’s staff numbers, in a move to curtail costs. This year’s plans call for 15,000 holiday workers, compared with 29,000 hired last year.

SIDNEY, Neb. — Cabela’s Inc. announced that Scott Williams will be joining the company as EVP and chief marketing and e-commerce officer, reporting to Tommy Millner, chief executive officer.

Previously, Williams served as president of Fanatics Inc., a vertically integrated online retailer of team and league licensed sports apparel and collectibles, which he joined in 2010. While at Fanatics, Williams led business and financial results with specific emphasis on marketing, IT, business development and manufacturing.

London -- Across Europe, it is men who are driving the charge into Internet shopping, according to a new study by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE). The report, released at the World Retail Congress in Berlin, finds that while women have driven in-store shopping, men shop nearly twice as often online as women (buying once every 2.5 weeks versus once a month).

Among the key findings:

Berlin -- 360buy.com was named the Pure Play Etailer of the Year at the Oracle World Retail Awards, which took place during the annual World Retail Congress in Berlin.

Operated by Jing Dong Mall, China’s largest online retailer, 360buy.com provides customers with home appliances, digital devices, computers, household items, clothing and accessories, baby products, books, and food, plus 11 other large product categories, including more than 10,000 brand names and 800,000 SKUs.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s Department Stores has announced the grand opening of 30 new stores across 20 states. According to the company, these openings will create approximately 4,000 new jobs.

MORRISVILLE, N.C. — Macy’s and  JCPenney rank as the nation’s top “local” advertisers, according to a new report from RSR Research. The study, “The Local Approach: The State of Localized Advertising in Retail,” finds most major retailers are missing huge opportunities to drive store traffic through localized digital advertising campaigns.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores on Wednesday marked the grand opening of 30 stores across 20 states. The company announced it also is remodeling approximately 100 stores this year, an 18% increase from 2010.

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s announced that Scott K. Williams has been named executive VP and chief marketing and e-commerce officer.

Previously, Williams served as president of Fanatics, a vertically integrated online retailer of team and league licensed sports apparel and collectibles, which he joined in 2010. Prior to that, he was a corporate VP Wal-Mart Stores from 2006 to 2010.