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CFO Spotlight
Finance chiefs play expanded role in managing the retail transformation
With the retail environment undergoing the most complex changes in our generation, the sustainability of the current retail economic model is in question.
Historically, retail CFOs, as the principal financial officers, were primarily responsible for more traditional finance, treasury, regulatory, information delivery and related functions.
BCBG Max Azria leverages analytics
BCBG Max Azria Group leveraged analytics when it realized its static “one-size-fits-all” e-commerce site didn’t optimize the overall shopping experience, or allow it to engage with specific omnichannel shoppers.
With a goal of personalizing the digital experience, and integrating its omnichannel journey as a whole, the women’s fashion brand added an analytics tool from Qubit. By embedding the platform’s JavaScript tags within its web pages, the technology transparently records all customer online interactions, pulling information into the cloud for reporting.

Gymboree transitions to mobile POS

As it creates new brick-and-mortar formats, Gymboree went in search of a flexible point-of-sale system. Now it has one. The children’s specialty chain added a mobile POS system from Aptos — a move that enables store associates to engage shoppers throughout their store visit. Associates use the mobile devices to process secure transactions, manage inventory, and access order information — without ever leaving the customer’s side.
Amazon’s Growing Transportation Network

As Amazon expands across the globe, enhancing its logistics capabilities as well as adding to the list of perks for its Amazon Prime members, retailers and logistics providers are taking note.
The pressure is on for retailers to not only meet customer expectations, but to also exceed them as differentiation in the retail industry becomes paramount. Amazon has raised the bar for expectations with offers such as same-day delivery and free shipping, and its influence is spreading as it becomes one of the world’s biggest retailers.
Utah mall has replacement lined up for closing Macy’s

CBL announced that it has a replacement anchor lined up for the Macy’s store closing at its Layton Hills Mall in Utah, one of 63 Macy’s locations slated to be shuttered this spring. One other Utah Macy’s is scheduled to close at Cottonwood Mall in Salt Lake City.
Nike raises its retail game

Nike SoHo introduces immersive product trial experiences, 54-ft. footwear wall
Nike has seen the future of retail — and it’s immersive and digitally connected.
The athletic giant has opened a five-level, multi-sport category outpost in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood that pushes the envelope of sports retailing.
Amazon Restaurants invites Alexa to dinner

Amazon’s new service is helping Prime members to get dinner on the table faster. By integrating Alexa into Amazon Restaurants, the retail giant now enables Prime members to voice-order their next meal through their Alexa-enabled devices, including the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. Customers can place orders from any restaurant available on the service in more than 20 cities by saying, “Alexa, order from Amazon Restaurants.” Any meal they’ve ordered before will delivered to their door for free in an hour or less.
Be it in stores or on sites, the dollars are in the data

We sat down with chief executives and senior managers from 20 retail real estate companies at the ICSC New York National Deal Making show in December, and each and every one had something to say about e-commerce competition. Something, but not the same thing. They fell into two groups.
There were those who said that online retail’s magnitude was greatly overblown. They held that the media over-covered online sellers and placed them on a lofty perch not backed by the facts. They had a point.
Report: Gadgets, robotic toys are best-sellers on Amazon this holiday season

Amazon set new records this holiday season, and its first-party sellers, especially those selling gadgets, are reaping the rewards. Besides shipping more than 1 billion items worldwide the week follow-ing Christmas, Amazon welcomed 3 million new Amazon Prime members who signed up in the days leading up to Dec. 25, according to the retail behemoth.
New CEOs to Watch

The past year brought with it a changing of the guard, as many companies named new leaders to steer their ships in a transformed marketplace. Here are six newly arrived — or soon to arrive — CEOs to keep an eye on in 2017:
Jeff Gennette, Macy’s: A 33-year company veteran who came up through the ranks, Gennette takes the reins from longtime CEO Terry Lundgren in the first quarter of this year.