News

Toronto – Shoppers Drug Mart enjoyed a successful second quarter of fiscal 2013, reporting increases in net earnings, sales and same-store sales. Net earnings totaled up $141.8 million USD, up about 1% from $139.9 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Sales were about $2.45 billion, a 3.3% boost from the previous year. Same-store sales rose 2% during the quarter.

Seoul, South Korea – South Korean home shopping retailer NS Shopping is deploying mobile and analytics solutions from IBM to improve its omni-channel customer experience and relationship management.

NS Shopping currently sells its merchandise via television, catalogues and online, and will use IBM Smarter Commerce technology to integrate mobile and social channels into its retail environment.

San Francisco – On July 19, online transportation service provider Uber is offering a one-day promotion where mobile customers could use the Uber app to order on-demand ice cream from an ice cream truck.

App users in 33 global cities, including 22 in the U.S. and Canada, have a one-day “order ice cream” option on their app. If one of several ice cream trucks deployed in each city is available, customers can order a bundle of five to six ice cream treats with payment directly charged to their Uber account.

Lynnfield, Mass. – HP Hood, manufacturer of the Brigham’s brand of ice cream, has decided to stop supplying the 10 remaining independent ice creams stores in the Boston area that serve Brigham’s with the product later this month. As reported by the Boston Globe, this will require the two stores still operating under the Brigham’s banner to change their name once the final shipments run out.

Dallas – The market for social CRM software, or technology that allows retailers to perform activities such as social monitoring, social listening, social management and social measurement for providing an enhanced customer experience, is set to grow exponentially in the next few years.

According to a new report from RnR Market Research, the social CRM technology market will expand from $1.91 billion in 2013 to $9.08 billion in 2018. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.5% from 2013 to 2018.

Skechers USA’s recently remodeled East Coast flagship store on 42nd St. in Manhattan’s Times Square has incorporated five outdoor LED displays and three static displays to make its own statement on one of the world’s most visually noisy stages.

Austin, Texas – Digital coupon provider RetailMeNot launches its IPO on Friday of 9,090,908 shares of its Series 1 common stock at a price to the public of $21 per share. Shares will be available on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "SALE." Of the shares in the offering, 4,545,454 shares are being offered by RetailMeNot and 4,545,454 shares are being offered by selling stockholders.

New York – U.S. consumers spent more last month as real home prices and initial unemployment claims continued to improve. The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index for June 2013, which comprises four components of tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices, increased to 4.3 from a reading of 4.2 the previous month.   
Following is a summary of the four main components of the Index:

Tax Burden: The tax rate is up from last year, and is now at 12%.

Washington, D.C. – Compared to a record-breaking back-to-school shopping season in 2012, this year’s back-to-school season will not be as impressive. New figures from the NRF and Prosper Insights show that families with school-age children will spend an average $634.78 on apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics, down about 8% from $688.62 last year. Total spending on back-to-school is expected to reach $26.7 billion.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola's board of directors has appointed Brent Hastie as the company's VP. Hastie was recently named VP of strategy and planning, which became effective just a few days ago.