OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Phoenix -- Manthan Systems announced that Sprouts Farmers Markets has selected Manthan’s ARC platform for enterprise-wide reporting and analytics. Currently operating 148 retail stores across eight states, Sprouts Farmers Markets has become synonymous with fresh produce, great prices and old-fashioned customer service.

Needham, Mass. -- PTC said Tuesday that Cabela’s has chosen PTC Windchill FlexPLM software, the company’s Product Lifecycle Management solution for retail.

New York -- A report released Wednesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs found that consumers are more willing to spend this holiday season.

According to the 2012 Holiday Spending Intentions Survey, 19% of consumers plan to spend more (and 5% plan to spend substantially more) on holiday gifts this year versus last year.  This is the highest percentage of consumers reporting they intend to increase spending over the previous holiday season since ICSC began asking the question in 2004.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced Wednesday it will officially launch its previously announced food-by-mail subscription service, called Goodies, which allows customers to trial sample-sized foods for a monthly fee.

Whiting, Ind. -- Survey results released Wednesday by CouponCabin found that nearly a third (31%) of U.S. consumers feel that holiday shopping is starting too soon, with many stores opening their doors to shoppers Thursday, and in some cases, even Wednesday, night.

Stress is a factor, as many respondents reported that a variety of factors make Black Friday a nerve-wracking holiday. When asked which of the following stressed them out about Black Friday, U.S. adults said the following:

Chicago -- ShopperTrak released a forecast on Tuesday that indicates certain days during the holiday shopping season will be quieter than others. The "10 best days to shop," according to ShopperTrak, are those with the least amount of foot traffic in stores. The weekdays after the busy Thanksgiving weekend top the list.

Emeryville, Calif. -- Digital marketing solution-provider Lyris said Monday that Australian retailer Harvey Norman has selected and deployed Lyris' digital marketing platform to increase online conversions and lead generation for the company's 180 retail stores.

Using Lyris, Harvey Norman will increase the quality of customer engagement across digital channels, and by doing so increase retention and loyalty.

New York -- Survey results released Tuesday by Accenture found that half of U.S. consumers are likely to make a small luxury purchase in the next six months, including 53% who are likely to purchase specialty food or drinks, 48% to purchase luxury clothing and 48% to purchase luxury personal care products.