Dive Brief:

• Abercrombie & Fitch and First Insight Inc. announced a partnership Wednesday to bring consumer-driven predictive analytics to the troubled teen-apparel retailer.

• The move is part of efforts to improve the retailer's product lines and pricing. Analysts had expressed concern that Abercrombie was overly focused on marketing and cost-cutting and not appropriately focused on its products.

• First Insight said it will work with Abercrombie & Fitch to test possible new products weekly and will help the retailer with product development, as well as pricing and promotional strategies.

Dive Insight:

After shaking up its leadership, Abercrombie & Fitch is getting down to business. Tapping First Insight to test products and pricing will go far in enabling the struggling retailer to begin to address its product weaknesses and compete with lower-cost rivals like H&M and Forever 21. Despite the damage CEO Mike Jeffries has done to the brand by mouthing off about who could and couldn’t wear A&F apparel, he’s still there, if in a lesser capacity. We’ll see if the retailer can woo back its teenage shoppers and their parents with clothing that suits their closets and their wallets — and perhaps also with a more inclusive attitude.