News

Jet.com prepares for takeoff
Hoboken, N.J. – Amazon.com may be hoping to fly high with drone-based deliveries, but a rival e-commerce platform is also planning to take off soon. Jet.com, a subscription-based e-commerce site that hopes to compete with the Amazon Prime membership service using “profit-free” pricing, promises to launch soon.
Sales and earnings on the rise at Publix
Publix continues to demonstrate that its customers indeed find that shopping there is a pleasure, judging by the grocery chain's first quarter results.

Publix’s sales for the first quarter of 2015 were $8.3 billion, a 6.8% increase from last year’s $7.8 billion. Same store sales increased 5.3%. Net earnings for the first quarter of 2015 were $548.9 million, compared to $493.7 million in 2014, an increase of 11.2%. Earnings per share for the first quarter increased to $0.71 for 2015, up from $0.63 per share in 2014. T

Study: Shoppers ‘creeped out’ by in-store identifying, tracking features

San Francisco -- Shoppers think it is cool to get digital help finding relevant products and information – and navigating the store, according to a study by RichRelevance. But they are creeped out by digital capabilities that identify, track and use location and demographics, such as targeted advertisements based on facial recognition. In addition, the dressing room is the one area where personalized product information and recommendations are not welcome.
Tech Guest Viewpoint: A Smart Brand’s Guide to Beacon Technology

By Jessica Lee, senior manager of mobile, HelloWorld
Specialty drugs lift CVS profit in Q1

CVS Health's growth in its drug services business is helping to offset retail sales declines from its decision to stop selling cigarettes<span style="color: rgb(54, 54, 54); font-family: open_sansregular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-
Amazon scores a basket with U.K. social shoppers

London - Online retailing pioneer Amazon Inc. has climbed to the top of the retail social media ranks, thanks in part to the introduction of #AmazonBasket. According to the latest Retail Social Media Benchmark results from eDigitalResearch, since the introduction of the new social media shopping functionality, Amazon has added 700,000 new followers to its U.K. Twitter account in the past six months, bumping them up to second overall, just behind leaders Topshop.
Lowe's introduces 3D printing at Orchard Supply

Lowe's Innovation Labs has come up with a way to allow shoppers to customize every knob, door and handle in their home.
Consumers want social connection with retailers

San Diego – Consumers are using social media to connect not just with high school classmates and former flames, but with retailers. According to Interactions’ latest Retail Perceptions report, “Social Media: Invest to Impress?”, more than 75% of social media users expect retailers to have a social media presence, and 42% prefer to shop at retailers that connect with them through social media.
GNC has weak Q1

Pittsburgh – GNC Holdings Inc. demonstrated some weakness during the first quarter of fiscal 2015 with shrinking profit and revenue. Net income dropped 9% to $63.27 million from $69.9 million a year earlier, driven by rising selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses.

Net revenue fell slightly to $670.25 million from $674.46 million. Same-store sales decreased 4.1% in domestic company-owned stores (including GNC.com sales). In domestic franchise locations, same-store sales decreased 1.5%.
Solution Center Highlights

The newest products and services from suppliers in store planning and design, construction and facility management were on display in the SPECS 2015 Solutions Center.

The exhibit floor provided the retailers and other specifiers at the show with a wide range of solutions, from lighting, signage and flooring options to maintenance and HVAC providers to energy management and construction services.