News

Location analytics solutions provider Esri is helping BJ’s Wholesale Club generate actionable business insights from club location data.

BJ’s use of Esri’s solutions was announced in conjunction with the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York. More specifically, BJ’s will use Esri’s location analytics solutions to aid in real estate research strategy and business insight analysis.

London - Mothercare plc intends to create faster and more convenient omnichannel fulfillment options to its customers using supply chain commerce solutions from Manhattan Associates. The Manhattan solutions will enable Mothercare to make store stock available for online sales and support more efficient customer processes to speed up delivery options through express click and collect services and ship from store.

Etsy, an e-marketplace that specializes in crafts and other artsy items, plans to hold an initial public offering as soon as this quarter, according to Bloomberg.

The decade-old company may seek to raise about $300 million, Bloomberg says, and is working with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

Phoenix – PetSmart Inc. considered but ultimately rejected attempting to buy an unidentified, privately held pet retail chain before agreeing to an $8.7 billion sale in December 2014. In an SEC filing, PetSmart disclosed it decided against the purchase after determining there could be competitive and antitrust issues.

PetSmart also said 27 potential buyers showed interest in purchasing the company between August and October 2014, before PetSmart formally launched a bidding process.

The digital innovations keep coming at Nieman Marcus, where the luxury retailer has introduce a new concept called the MemoryMirror.

Two technology trends stood out above all others at this week’s NRF Annual Convention. First, retailers are becoming aware that omnichannel inventory transparency is the back-end platform supporting the front-end seamless customer experience they have been building the past few years. Being able to see all inventory across all channels in real time is the key to enabling omnichannel processes such as shipping and fulfilling from store, centrally managing orders from multiple sales channels, providing “endless aisle” access to full inventory.

Workplace customization was a recurring theme that emerged from Staples’ annual design competition.

The unique design competition involved 150 designers and architects who undertook the challenge of envisioning what workplaces will look like a decade from now.

As part of the contest, more than 150 architects and designers from around the world envisioned what work lives would be in the next 10-15 years, given the shift toward a "work anywhere, anytime" mentality.

In addition to educating attendees about the charitable activities of Retail ROI and presenting a heartfelt session from Katie Meyler, founder of Liberian non-profit More Than Me and a 2014 Time Person of the Year for her Ebola prevention efforts, this year’s Super Saturday event in New York focused squarely on customer experience. A variety of industry experts across a range of panel discussions all returned to the crucial need for technology-enabled, seamless customer experience.