News

Scottsdale, Ariz. -  P.F. Chang's China Bistro is getting conversational with its customers. The casual dining chain has selected Neuron ESB application and Web services integration software to unify backend systems that will power real-time customer communications for its P.F. Chang's and Pei Wei brands.

London – U.K. digital department store retailer Shop Direct is moving to a hybrid cloud model, hosted by IBM, to increase flexibility and quickly respond to changes in demand as it grows. IBM’s cloud will underpin the delivery of a suite of analytics, mobile, social and security offerings that will enable Shop Direct to improve its customers’ online shopping experience while empowering its workforce to collaborate more easily and improve productivity.

Woonsocket, R.I. – CVS Health Corp. showed vitality with its financial performance in the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014. Net income for the fourth quarter grew 5% to $1.32 billion from $1.26 billion.

The fact that Home Depot is hiring 80,000 associates for its busy spring season may not seem like a big deal, but the retailer is arming these employees with unprecedented retailing technology.

The Finish Line is looking to upgrade its customer experience capabilities with the addition of a new chief omnichannel officer and executive vice president.

The company announced that former Sears executive Imran Jooma has joined the company as chief omnichannel officer and executive VP. He will be responsible for all of the Finish Line brand’s customer facing touch points including digital, store operations, the customer care center and brand marketing.

Amazon.com has long considered itself a pioneer of social shopping. But now the retailer has introduced a game-changing new service that allows customers to do their own social media marketing.

The new service, called Amazon Giveaway, is a self-service tool designed for Amazon customers who want to use giveaways to grow their social media followings and reward their customers and audience. Features include the ability to require contestants to follow the contest organizer on Twitter to be eligible for a chance to win a prize.

Neiman Marcus is entering the social shopping fray by launching its first ever user-generated content contest on Instagram.

The retailer has said previously it understands the influence user-generated content can have on purchase decisions. That’s why they integrate it into key points in the user journey. Neiman Marcus says it is aiming to create powerful, socialized shopping experiences, online and in-store. 

Urban Outfitters Inc. set a record and beat Wall Street expectations with its sales for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2014.

Total net sales grew 12% to $1.01 billion from $905.86 million, setting a record for the company. Same-store sales, including direct-to-consumer sales, rose 6%. For the full year, total net sales increased 8% to $3.32 billion, from $3.09 billion, also another record. Same-store sales grew 2%. For both the fourth quarter and full fiscal year, strong growth in the wholesale segment helped push up total net sales.

Walmart is making good on its pledge to boost sourcing of U.S. products by introducing its latest Made in the USA merchandise: bicycles.

The retailer and Bicycle Corporation of America announced that BCA bicycles, which are assembled in the United States, are now available for purchase in-store at various Walmart locations nationwide and on the Walmart website.

Discontinuing tobacco sales a year ago may have been the right thing to do for CVS Health, but the company’s fourth quarter results offer other retailers contemplating a similar move a glimpse of the short term impact on sales.

Non-pharmacy front of store same store sales at CVS Health locations declined 7.2% during the fourth quarter but would have registered a slight increase were it not for an 800 basis point negative impact associated with lost sale of tobacco and related products.