With millions of members and countless products, it was difficult for Rue La La to determine what each customer was likely to want to buy. A cloud-based system from Snowflake Computing lets the online retailer track how customers get to its website, what products they look at and where they moved around on the site.

After launching its first online efforts in 2005, 20-store chain Roche Bros. Supermarkets has entered an even more profitable phase of business. A partnership with enterprise e-grocery software platform provider ShopperKit and Brother Mobile Solutions has enabled a full-service online system for customers that includes home delivery and click-and-collect capabilities.

A “go-to” resource for online shopping, NexTag wanted to attract qualified shoppers to its site, with the goal of converting visitors into customers. Partner Yahoo made it possible for NexTag to begin utilizing “responsive” formatting and native advertising.

Growing faster than accounting systems could maintain meant headaches for The Spice & Tea Exchange. Its search for a modern accounting and inventory management system brought the company to a scalable, flexible solution with Xero and Cin7 that can handle its growth and unique business requirements.

The digital edition of STORES’ April 2017 issue is now available! The magazine is packed with must-read pieces including the articles featured here.

Recognize deserving small retail business owners who are great advocates for the industry by nominating them for the America’s Retail Champions program. Accepted nominees will receive a complimentary trip to D.C. to attend the Retail Advocates Summit, July 17-19. Submit a nomination by May 15.

Wanting to tell the stories of her Mexican heritage, Cristina Lynch created clothing and home décor brand Mi Golondrina, enlisting over 100 artisan women in small communities to handcraft and sew every item sold. NRF spoke with Lynch about her brand, clothing and the women who make it happen. 

Retail industry employment increased by 2,500 jobs in April from March, according to NRF’s calculations, which exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants. The overall economy gained 211,000 jobs in April. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the retail industry currently has over 541,000 job openings, more than twice as many as it did during the recession.

The Paper Store, the largest family-owned and -operated chain of specialty gift stores in the Northeast, has selected the Aptos Digital Commerce Suite with integrated Enterprise Order Management and the Aptos Warehouse Management solution, extending its investment in the Aptos Singular Commerce platform.

The patented Smart Shelf system created by NeWave Sensor Solutions LLC was selected by the Discovery Channel as a new technology that will impact our future. NeWave’s Smart Shelf is the only RFID “no tags required” real-time on-shelf inventory availability solution available. 

Skechers has expanded its roster of sports stars representing the brand by announcing that 10-time All-Star Dominican-American baseball slugger David Ortiz — known by fans around the world as “Big Papi” — will be lacing up in Skechers’ Men’s footwear for a multi-platform global marketing campaign set to launch this fall.

Accruent’s lease administration software has been selected by Sephora, allowing the specialty beauty retailer to manage leases for more than 400 locations in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Brooks Running Company is expanding its global footprint in July 2017 with entry into China and Brazil, two of the largest running markets in the world.

Coach Inc., a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kate Spade & Company.

Global home furnishings retailer Crate and Barrel announced the appointment of Neela Montgomery as chief executive officer.

Loop Commerce, a leading e-gifting platform, has partnered with Lilly Pulitzer and Vera Bradley. With Loop’s GiftNow solution, Lilly Pulitzer and Vera Bradley customers can easily gift an item up until the very last minute, by providing only the gift receiver’s e-mail address — no need to contact the recipient to check sizing or delivery address.

IronPlanet, a leading online marketplace for selling and buying used equipment and other durable assets, announced APSV, the long-established U.K. supplier of ex-MOD and ex-PLC construction equipment, plant and trucks, as its first European customer on the new Marketplace Direct platform. Marketplace Direct features advanced, self-listing functionality for larger-scale equipment sellers.

Tough Mudder Inc., the leading active lifestyle brand and media company, will team up with Amazon, the “Official Online Retailer” for Tough Mudder’s 2017 events season, to launch an online health and personal care resource. The agreement will include unique and engaging health, training and wellness content produced by Tough Mudder, an Amazon.com/Tough Mudder storefront and on-site event presence at Tough Mudder’s North American events in 2017.