Will big data and high-performance analytics flatten the world?

Alison Bolen
Alison Bolen|April 11, 2012

Retail is one of the most time-sensitive industries. Find out how mega-chain Family Dollar Stores Inc., which operates more than 7,100 stores in 45 states, relies on high-performance analytics to shrink data processing windows from days to less than an hour and speed decision making. Scott Zucker, Vice President of [...]

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Optimizing assortments with big data and high-performance analytics

Alison Bolen
Alison Bolen|March 16, 2012

Macy’s Inc. is one of the nation’s largest and most well-known retailers, with a loyal base of customers who shop at its stores and online. The company’s e-commerce division, Macys.com, is relying on big data and high-performance analytics software from SAS to better understand its customers and help increase overall [...]

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Q&A: How big data will revolutionize retail

Alison Bolen
Alison Bolen|March 8, 2012

How can big data coupled with high-performance analytics (HPA) help retail companies tailor their offerings in a way that is beneficial to both the company’s bottom line – and the consumer? Eric Williams, recently retired Chief Information Officer at Catalina Marketing, explains in this interview. Alison Bolen: How do you define [...]

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Six benefits that big data can bring to retailers

Alison Bolen
Alison Bolen|March 2, 2012

In the last week, I have interviewed four retail executives about their predictions for big data and high-performance analytics in the retail industry. I hope to publish their thoughts here in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, here are six concrete benefits that big data can bring to retailers, if [...]

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Good advice from Northern Tool

Anne-Lindsay Beall
Anne-Lindsay Beall|January 18, 2012

At the NRF BIG Show, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chuck Albrecht, President and COO, Northern Tool and Equipment Company to ask him the best advice he’s ever been given (more on that later), his thoughts on the craziest innovations he saw at the show, and Northern [...]

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The art and science of pricing

Anne-Lindsay Beall
Anne-Lindsay Beall|January 17, 2012

A standing room only crowd gathered at the NRF BIG Show on Monday afternoon in New York to hear Winn-Dixie VP Chris Vukich share how this $7 billion regional grocer has achieved a successful pricing strategy that allows them to: See the impact of each price change. Create what-if scenarios. Model [...]

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Markdowns: Don't lose your shirt

Anne-Lindsay Beall
Anne-Lindsay Beall|January 16, 2012

At the NRF BIG Show in NYC this week, one of the hottest topics is what retailers can do with high-performance analytics.  One major retailer has been able to determine optimal prices for as many as 270 million items each week, from 30 to two hours, run advanced markdown optimization [...]

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BIG news from the NRF BIG Show

Anne-Lindsay Beall
Anne-Lindsay Beall|January 16, 2012

What brings more than 20,000 retailers to NYC in mid-January? I can promise you, it’s not the balmy 15 degree temperatures –  it’s the 101st NRF BIG SHOW, where SAS is a platinum sponsor. This is my first year attending this event – and it’s a bit overwhelming, so here’s a [...]

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Grocery goes high-tech – and social

Anne-Lindsay Beall
Anne-Lindsay Beall|October 31, 2011

After enduring 18 months in a punishing economy, grocers have emerged in better shape than most retail segments according to the Fifth Annual Supermarket Benchmark Study from RIS News and IDC Retail Insights. Still, there are no expectations of returning to business as usual, and technology is a key linchpin [...]

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My Macy’s: The science of localization

Anne-Lindsay Beall
Anne-Lindsay Beall|October 28, 2010

How do you maintain a local feel in a central organization of 810 department stores in 45 states? Speaking at The Premier Business Leadership Series in Las Vegas, Steve Nevill, Executive Vice President of Inventory Management and Support for Macy’s.shared how the retailer (which had $23.5 billion in sales in [...]

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