News

Gigwalk enters enterprise space
Crowd-sourced services provider Gigwalk has blending location-based mobile technology with new analytics capabilities to create Gigwalk Enterprise.

The company contends the new offering will help organization maximize the effectiveness of their workforce from anywhere in real time. Gigwalk said its enterprise offering will allow brands to mobilize internal teams to collect and activate data to mend issues in retail execution, as well as improve collaboration with retailers and supply chain partners to drive in-store sales.
Forrester: 90% of mobile users are “purchase holdouts”
New York -- Ninety percent of mobile phone users and 80% of tablet users are still “purchase holdouts” and have not made a purchase on these respective devices in the past three months, according to a Forrester survey of more than 4,000 respondents. Some 53% of holdouts cite that they avoid "checking out" on mobile devices simply because they are either used to buying, or find it easier to buy, on a PC.

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PetSmart Canada to help fund pet therapy program for kids

PetSmart has partnered with SickKids Foundation to assist with funding the pet therapy program at The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada. The program is designed to provide thousands of patients with access to canine comfort teams.

PetSmart Paws for Hope at SickKids kicked off yesterday with a commitment of $500,000 over the next five years. In addition to the pet therapy program, funds will support the Possibilities Fund which helps support the most urgent needs of the hospital as they arise. This is the first sponsorship of its kind for PetSmart in Canada.
Expenses reduce Aaron’s net income; plans 142 new stores over next several years

Atlanta –- Aaron’s Inc.reported that its third quarter income fell 55% to $9.3 million, from $21.1 million the same quarter the prior year, amid expenses related to store closings, corporate realignment, executive retirements, the resolution of a regulatory investigation and the purchase of Progressive Finance Holdings. Revenues increased 32% to $707.6 million compared to $537.2 million, aided by the addition of Progressive revenue.
Path to Purchase recognizes industry innovation

Disney, Nestle Purina, Kraft, Procter & Gamble were top award winners in the 2014 Design of the Times Awards presented at the annual Shopper Marketing Conference & Expo.

The Path to Purchase Institute event recognizes brands, retailers and their partners in packaging and merchandising execution for the most inspiring and creative in-store campaigns and tactics of the previous year. In addition to the coveted Best of the Times award other award levels include Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Store of the Week: Bond No. 9, New York City

Bond No. 9 raises the bar for fragrance retailers with its redesigned flagship in downtown Manhattan. The space is transformed with glittering chandeliers, smoky mirrors and splashes of color. Read More
Survey: Customers embrace mobile, seek improvements

Teaneck, N.J. –- Consumers have embraced the use of mobile devices for shopping, but are less than fully satisfied with the current mobile retail experience. According to a new survey of more than 5,000 shoppers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and China from IT services and consulting firm Cognizant, 91% of shoppers have a mobile device, 78% have researched products on a mobile device before purchasing in the last year, and 42% of shoppers reported regularly researching products on a mobile device.
Peter Theran to Lead 3D Systems Consumer Products Business

3D Systems Corporation appointed Peter Theran as vp consumer retail to lead the expansion of the company's consumer products into new retail markets. Theran’s charter is to broaden the reach and penetration of 3DS' latest consumer products, services and experiences including its Cube 3 and CubePro printers and its expanding portfolio of perceptual devices and online Cubify experiences.