News

Supervalu Inc. on Wednesday lower-than-expected profit for the first quarter amid ongoing efforts to spin off its Save-A-Lot division.   The supermarket operator reported a profit a profit of $46 million for the quarter, down from $61 million, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for charges related to the potential separation of Save-A-Lot and other factors, earnings declined to $53 million from $65 million last year.   Supervalu’s net revenue fell 3.9% to $5.20 billion.  

Shoppers will soon be able to get a reward by walking in to a New York & Company store.   Shopkick, a leading shopping app, announced a partnership with the women's apparel and accessories retailer. Customers can now earn “kicks” for walking in, visiting the dressing room, and making purchases in more than 170 New York & Company stores nationwide.  

While a new report from CBRE extols the traffic-building virtues of Pokemon GO for retail locations designated as “gyms” or “stops,” it concludes that virtual and augmented reality will have a more immediate impact on lease-signings than product purchases.   

The recent growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has brought the elusive concept of “frictionless retail” closer than ever before. By digitizing business processes through connecting smart devices and sensors at the network’s edge and applying advanced analytics, retailers can reduce or eliminate points of friction that negatively impact customer experience, sales or operational efficiency.   

Sephora continues to innovate to drive mobile growth.   The retailer announced it is deploying two new interactive tools as part of a campaign to relaunch its private-label brand, Sephora Collection.  

Five specialty retailers are deploying a cross-border shipping solution to make it easier for international customers to buy from their sites.   The retailers — Evolue, Kathy Kuo Home, The Land of Nod, The New York Times Store and Soludos — are expanding their online reach through the Pitney Bowes Borderfree solution. The technology and cross-border shipping services enable global shoppers to simply and conveniently buy items online in over 70 currencies from more than 220 countries and territories.  

Online retailers who hope to sell their goods to British consumers should take heed when it comes to listing the price.   A survey by online translation agency revealed that 80% of the British consumer public refuses to buy from websites that do not post their prices in British pounds.  

More and more retailers are looking to make their stores more than just destinations to shop.   In a trend that is gaining increased momentum, retailers across the board are adding bars and eateries to their stores, USA Today reported.   

The largest specialty pet supplies retailer in North America is launching a digital initiative to become more customer-focused — and data-driven.    PetSmart has selected Cognizant’s customer data foundation initiative to utilize master and analytics-driven demographic, behavioral, interactional and transactional data to create custom profiles of pets and "pet parents" who visit PetSmart at its stores, online and through its mobile app.  

Retailers should be cheered by the latest forecast from the National Retail Federation.    With increases in consumer spending expected to remain solid during the remainder of the year, the NRF on Tuesday upped its forecast for retail sales in 2016 to 3.4%, from the 3.1% forecast earlier.    Online and other non-store sales, which are included in the overall figure, are expected to increase 7% to 10% year-over-year rather than the 6% to 9% forecast earlier.