Retail Analytics: The Secret Weapon (Wiley and SAS Business Series)

A must read for any retail analytics professional. This is not like other analytics book where you need a PhD to understand the greek and latin, nor is it about some fuzzy frameworks or theories, it is a book with some real brick and mortar insights. The author starts with a cursory introduction to the retail world and then proceeds to talk about the various aspects of enabling retail with data analytics. His ability to communicate his vast experience at various levels of retail analytics right from data integration to complex predictive modeling is admirable. I learnt a great deal about the common challenges with the systems and the data environment. The great value to me was the contextualization of the analytics work to actual companies; it just makes it more real, than reading an academic text. He covers a broad range of topics from traditional market basket analysis to more recent topics on loyalty analysis in great depth. Also, the focus on Apparel industry was very insightful given the nature of the beast. In addition to providing real world examples, recommendations on specific tools, methodologies and results, he also highlights how we should go about getting buy in from the business managers and indoctrinating analytics into the organization. Overall, it was an excellent study, very tangible knowledge, I was able to put to use immediately and I go back to the book almost every week to refresh some part of what I had read. I hope he will write a sequel with emphasis on big data and social media in retail.

This book might be good for someone new to the retail industry, but it's a small book covering a broad range of retail areas and not very deep or current in any of them. Rather, buy: "The New Science of Retailing" for current in-depth and accurate current methods.

While the retail world is coming to embracing analytics, the understanding and real world use of analytics is an interesting space. It is also a large topic. Cox demonstrates there is more to analytics than a purely quantitative angle. He talks from the point of his years of experience in many positions in the retail organization...from stores to IT to marketing and real estate. He emphasizes the challenges of engaging the retail organization in leveraging the power of analytics as more retailers today move toward an analytics-centric environment. He provides a hands on perspective of the trials and tribulations in the ever changing retail environment demonstrating that there are similar issues with retailers in many countries around the world. An informative book based on real world knowledge and insights. A refreshing introspective.

Well organized and informative overview of when and how analytics are useful in retailing. I am working on a project that required an understanding of a retailers needs and this book provided that.

IT'S OKAY

The book has its origins in sales notes, and it shows... For a PowerPoint warrior who needs to produce pages after pages of retail analytics use cases for executives, this book is somewhat useful. Even there, the book is just a grab bag of high-level techniques/insights, without a good organizing framework. For someone at the coal face of retail analytics who needs to understand and implement analytical techniques to obtain results, this book is found wanting at all levels.

I found this to be an excellent book to help convey the power of analytics as applied to retail. While a couple of reviewers appear to be disappointed I think they have missed the point, and this book may not have been written for them. Conversely for retailers who are interested in developing a framework of understanding as to how the wealth of data which they possess and struggle to do anything with, can in fact be turned into a competitive advantage, then there is no better starting point than Emmett Cox's book. If you can pick up some small part of the wealth of years of Emmett's experience working with large retailers for less than $30 I'd say its an incredibly good buy. I rate this book very highly.

, despite is almost 10 years old, includes most of what's needed to move in this big and changing retail world

It is very basic for beginners. Lacks depth. Horrible value for price charged

Great book, really helped me to understand much more about the retail industry and how to use analytics to help grow a business.

Sumamente interesante. Buen libro introductorio al tema.

Mr Cox nous dresse la liste de tout ce qu'il a fait pour ses clients, mais pas assez de détail sur comment il y est arrivé (pas folle la guêpe). Ce livre est une source d'inspiration, mais pas de techniques.

Very detailed book I found it to be a great read!