Target

Cross-channel success in retail is all about coordination of data in an era where the number of channels and the amount information flowing through them keep growing. Think of the data streams from a variety of channels, including brick-and-mortar, websites, pay per click, email, direct mail, mobile devices, catalogs and more, and it's easy to see how the combined flood of information can reach the multiterabyte scale in a company's data network. The challenge comes in making sense of all this "big data" and teasing out important relationships and patterns from the noise.

Despite our nation's climb out of the deepest of its economic troubles, many Americans are still struggling to meet their monthly obligations. If you've created a personal budget, are paying down your debts and keeping your bills in check, but still having difficulties, you may want to think about generating additional income in your spare time. One of the most intriguing ways to do this is with an internet reselling business. If you work hard and approach it intelligently, online reselling can evolve into a solid and consistent stream of income. Here's how to get started:

Target has been sued by Swatch Group, which accused the second-largest U.S. discount retailer of illegally selling watches that copy its own. In a lawsuit made public on Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Swatch, which is known for its plastic namesake watches, accused Target of infringing its designs for "zebra" and "multicolor" watches. Swatch said the quality of Target's watches is "inferior" to its own, and that their continued sale is likely to confuse shoppers and damage the Swiss company's sales.

"Forgive and forget" — it's a mantra that's embraced by many. Unfortunately for Target, not as many of its shoppers are abiding by the principle as it had probably hoped. According to a new report from Kantar Retail, only 33 percent of U.S. households said they shopped at either a Target or SuperTarget in January, the retailer's lowest level of shopper penetration in the past three years. It's also a 22 percent decline compared with the same month in 2013.

What do Target, Harbor Freight Tools, hurricanes and winter storms all have in common? They exemplify why retailers must proactively plan for recovery of invaluable data when disaster strikes. Retailers can gain valuable insights into disaster recovery (DR) by considering how AmeriPride Services, a uniform rental and linen supply company, proactively fashioned a DR plan to prepare for any unexpected calamity. The company owes much of its success to keeping pace with technology advances — e.g., the use of telematics technology in vehicles and radio-frequency identification chips to help track uniforms — and continually updating its IT infrastructure. 

Hyperlocal video targeting has become one of the most effective strategies for driving in-store sales. By tailoring ads based on location, retailers can deliver information, deals and incentives tailored to a specific geographical audience, dramatically increasing the relevance and impact of the message. How can retailers do this? Here are six keys to successfully launching hyperlocal video targeting campaigns:

Target Chief Information Officer Beth Jacob is resigning as the retailer overhauls its information security and compliance division in the wake of a massive pre-Christmas data breach. Target Chairman, President and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said in a statement released to The Associated Press that the company will search for an interim chief information officer who can help guide the company through the transformation. Jacob had been in her current role since 2008 and oversaw teams in the U.S. and India. 

The corporate hacks keep coming. The latest target, according to cybersecurity blogger Brian Krebs, is the beauty supply chain Sally Beauty, a retailer that draws customers from salons and other stylists. A new batch of 282,000 stolen debit and credit cards were posted for sale this week on underground marketplaces, and Krebs believes they have been used at one of Sally Beauty's 2,600 stores. It's the latest scoop from Krebs, who has managed to penetrate the criminal underground to break major stories, including the Target and Neiman Marcus hacks.

Retail data breaches like those recently experienced by Target and Neiman Marcus are top of mind these days. As the impact of these attacks unfolds, everyone wants to know how to protect customer data and, ultimately, how to prevent attacks from occurring in the first place. EMV technology has been touted as a solution, but contrary to popular belief, EMV alone will not prevent data breaches. In this article I examine why and offer some alternative approaches to protecting customers’ credit card information against data breaches.

Sears Holdings said a review of its systems doesn't show evidence yet of a data breach as retailers continue to stay on guard in light of the payment card terminal hacking at Target and Neiman Marcus. The department store chain is the latest company to say it's investigating a possible breach. "There have been rumors and reports throughout the retail industry of security incidents at various retailers, and we're actively reviewing our systems to determine if we've been a victim of a breach," wrote Howard Riefs, director of corporate communications at Sears Holdings, in an email.