Data & Analytics

By Kuruvilla Mathew, [email protected]

The 2011 edition of Interbrand’s Best Retail Brands report again lists Target in the second position with a value of $23.3 billion in between number-one-ranked Walmart at $142 billion and third-ranked Home Depot at $20.3 billion.

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group said that Jay S. Levine has been appointed senior VP, chief accounting officer and corporate controller of Ascena Retail Group with responsibilities for SEC reporting, financial planning and analysis, internal controls and corporate taxes.

Ascena operates 2,478 stores under its, Dressbarn, Maurices and Justice banners.

LOS ANGELES -- Creative Channel Services announced that it has significantly expanded its partnership with Sears Holdings Corporation by providing the CyberScholar employee-learning platform to five of the retailer's store brands that carry home appliance and consumer electronics products.  CCS has been delivering the CyberScholar solution to Sears' full-line stores and now will deliver product and sales knowledge to Kmart, Sears Home Appliance Showrooms, Sears Appliance & Hardware, and Sears Hometown stores.

New York City -- Walgreens said a marketing and communications vendor that it uses, Epsilon, has informed the company about unauthorized access to its customers' email addresses, the Associated Press reported. The retailer joins JPMorgan Chase & Co. and grocery operator Kroger Co., which also use the same vendor to send emails, as the latest company to announce a breach of information.

In a statement, Walgreens said law enforcement authorities have been notified and are investigating the matter.

NEW YORK — Retailers rank supreme for their customer service, according to a new report by the Temkin Group.

 The consulting and research firm analyzed responses from 6,000 consumers, found that Amazon.com ranked No. 1 for providing an "excellent" customer experience, coming in with a ranking of 81.3%. A business qualifies for an "excellent" rating when their score is 80% or higher, Temkin said.

Mahwah, N.J. -- TD Retail Card Services announced that it has been selected as a preferred provider of private label credit services for members of Furniture First, a home furnishings and mattress purchasing cooperative with more than 175 retail furniture dealers operating over 360 locations nationwide.

Under the agreement, the Mahwah, N.J-based business unit of TD Bank, N.A., will offer a full range of private label credit products and services, custom financing options and special benefits to participating members of the co-op.

Target plans to give away one million reusable shopping bags on Sunday, April 17 in line with the release of its weekly ad featuring an assortment of environmentally-friendly products in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22.