Data & Analytics

Chicago -- Fifty percent of Americans use a mobile device to navigate their shopping journey, according to a new study released by Arc Worldwide, Leo Burnett’s marketing services arm.

The study -- “Marketing to the Mobile Shopper” -- found that mobile shopping has become a way of life for Americans. This trend is changing the traditional shopping journey and leaving companies with a serious ultimatum: deliver valuable mobile experiences or risk losing customers.

New York City -- A recent survey by Deloitte found that the proliferation of smartphones – coupled with social network popularity -- has had a significant impact on what consumers expect from retailers and their in-store shopping experience.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — As part of Earth Month in Illinois, Gov. Patrick Quinn Tuesday morning toured a Walgreens drug store in Oak Park, Ill., that features the first geothermal energy system used in a chain drug store in the country, Walgreens stated in a release.

The system, which went live when the store opened last October, has reduced the store's expected energy usage by 60%.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores on Monday released its "2011 Global Responsibility Report." According to the report, the chain has made steady year-to-year improvement towards its goals of creating zero waste, using 100% renewable energy and selling products that sustain people and the environment.

Atlanta -- A report released Monday by First Data Corp., which tracks year-over-year same-merchant activations, redemptions and reloads of merchant-branded prepaid cards in the United States, including spending, gift, incentive and promotional cards, revealed that delayed post-holiday redemptions and incentives drove activations in first quarter 2011.

Target began its in-store recycling program just nine months ago, and some of the early numbers from the program are staggering. Between April 2010, when the program was launched, and December 2010, the company collected and recycled more than 170 million shopping bags and more than 1.4 million pounds of cans and bottles. In addition, the company said it collected roughly two million units of small electronic items such as MP3 players and cell phones.

NEW YORK — Consumers that seek timely and detailed information about product recalls look to multiple resources, according to a new Deloitte survey.

BRISBANE, Calif. -- Walmart announced that it has acquired the services of Kosmix, a Mountain View, Calif.-based company to grow its multi-channel strategy.