News

For more than 50 years, retail store planning, construction and facilities executives have gathered for the annual SPECS conference to assess key industry challenges and invent the future. That will be the case again this year, as SPECS focuses on the transformation and evolution of physical stores in a digital age.  

Johnny Rockets, the franchisor and operator of Johnny Rockets restaurants, has named Susanne Stover as its CFO and member of its executive team. Stover will be reporting directly to CEO Charles Bruce, and will lead and implement strategies to drive growth and a financial infrastructure.

Stover is no stranger to the casual dining segment. She has held leadership positions as the CFO for the Rosa Mexicano restaurant chain and controller at the casual dining restaurant chain California Pizza Kitchen.

The nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer had previously warned that warm weather caused weaker-than-expected fourth quarter sales and it quantified the impact on profitability with the release of full financial results on Jan. 27.

How good is your data?

Seventy-five percent of retailers believe inaccurate data is undermining their ability to provide an excellent customer experience, according to a study by Experian Data Quality.

The eBay platform facilitated commerce of nearly $22 billion in the fourth quarter, a 5% increase, and counted roughly 265 million transactions during the holiday season.

Slowly but surely, consumers are becoming open to the idea of switching from leather wallets to an electronic version.

According to the new “Let’s Get Digital” consumer survey from Citi Retail Services, digital wallet usage has increased by 20% in the past two years. Thirty-five percent of consumers used digital wallets at the end of 2014, and that figure rose to 55% by the end of the year 2015.

Slowly but surely, consumers are becoming open to the idea of switching from leather wallets to an electronic version.

Macy’s is looking to inspire shoppers once again this February with promotional events tied to the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign.