News

American Express: Holiday shopping on smartphones and tablets up 53% in two years
New York -- Using smartphones and tablets to shop for the holidays has grown by 53% since 2012, and is expected to play a big role in decision making and actual purchases this year, according to the American Express Spending & Saver Tracker. The report finds the average American consumer is back to holiday spending at 2012 levels, and will plan to shell out $842 this year (vs. $1,260 in 2013 and $848 in 2012). Consumers saying they will use their gadgets to:
PwC: Wearable tech users seek enhanced retail experience
New York -- Twenty percent of American adults already own a wearable device and the adoption rate, on par with tablets in 2012, is quickly expected to rise. According to a PwC survey of 1,000 consumers, after dietary, exercise and medical information, an enhanced retail experience was at the top of the list of information Millennials would like wearable tech to provide them.

Survey: Many consumers will anonymously share data

Austin, Texas -- A majority of Americans would be comfortable divulging information about themselves anonymously to their favorite stores (60%) or a product brand (56%), and close to half would anonymously share personal data to an app (46%). According to a new national survey from Wearables.com and The Center for Generational Kinetics, some consumers will also share personal information in exchange for certain benefits.
Restructuring, impairment dampen Rent-A-Center Q3 earnings

Plano, Texas -- Pretax restructuring charges related to corporate reorganization and store closures, as well as pretax impairment charges, helped reduce net earnings at Rent-A-Center Inc. 7% to $25.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 from $27.2 million in the third quarter of the prior year. Revenues grew 2% to $769.5 million from $754.8 million, and same-store sales rose 1.9%.
Jonathan Adler selects AgilOne to boost customer engagement, sales

Mountain View, Calif. -- AgilOne, the cloud-based predictive marketing company, announced that home design retailer Jonathan Adler will use AgilOne’s cloud platform to improve customer engagement by creating more personalized, data-driven marketing.
Magento launches Fashion Partner Initiative

New York –- Magento, an EBay Enterprise company, has created the exclusive Fashion Partner Initiative. This program includes expert technology partners, system integrators, digital agencies and developers that can step in and act as an extension of a fashion retailer’s in-house team.
Motorola releases new Android mobile enterprise device

Schaumburg, Ill. -- Motorola Solutions Inc. has unveiled the Symbol TC70 touch computer, an enterprise-class mobile computer running the Android KitKat operating system. Designed to boost efficiency and customer service in the retail, wholesale and manufacturing industries, the TC70 is supported by more than 50 certified applications including price and inventory checks, line busting, assisted selling, workforce management and inventory management.
Triad Retail Media names Berdusco CEO

A decade after founding Triad Retail Media, Greg Murtagh is stepping down as CEO of the digital retail media company to pursue new opportunities.

Stepping up to the CEO role is current president and COO Roger Berdusco who worked closely with Murtagh since the innovative agency was founded in 2004. Murtagh will remain on the company’s board of directors.
HanesBrands makes tasty board appointment

Former Snyder’s-Lance CEO David V. Singer is the newest member of the board of directors at apparel manufacturer HanesBrands.

Singer, 59, joins the 10 member board through the 2015 annual meeting when directors stand for re-election. He will serve on the company’s audit committee.
Ascena’s “Tweenovator” to retire

Michael Rayden, an innovative merchant credited with developing retail concepts that catered to the tween demographic, has announced plans to step down as president and CEO of Ascena’s Justice and Brothers division.

Rayden will leave the company at the end of January 15 following a lengthy career in the apparel industry. Ascena said it has begun a global search for a successor.
Coke accelerates efforts to re-invigorate growth

The world’s leading beverage company is intensify efforts to generate high single digit earnings per share growth after strategies introduced earlier this year have been slow to take hold and third quarter earnings fell 13%.

Coca-Cola Company CEO Muhtar Kent unveiled a new slate of actions to reinvigorate growth and cut expenses in conjunction with the release of disappointing third quarter results. Revenues were essentially flat with the prior year at $12 billion during the quarter ended Sept. 26 while earnings per share declined 13% to 48 cents from 53 cents.
CVS pushes for ‘tobacco-free pharmacy network’

CVS Health has confirmed a Wall Street Journal report that it is working to establish a tobacco-free pharmacy network and is looking for tobacco-free pharmacies to participate in the new offering.

As widely reported, CVS Health’s pharmacy locations are now officially tobacco-free as the company forges ahead on its mission to help shape the future of health care.