 | November 16, 2010 | News for the retail industry |  |  | | - Trust your foot soldiers, says Foot Locker CEO
Ken Hicks, the CEO of Foot Locker, served as an artillery commander in the U.S. Army, and he quickly learned the importance of trusting and training his workers. "I could shoot a cannon better than any of my section chiefs. And I had six guns. The only problem is, I could only shoot one gun at a time," he notes. Just as Hicks had to learn to trust his troops to fire correctly, he says, so business leaders need to have confidence in their workers and trust them to handle high-stakes situations correctly. Harvard Business Review online/Frontline Leadership blog (11/15)       - Department stores expect early risers on Black Friday
Macy's and J.C. Penney plan to open their stores at 4 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving while Sears is planning to be open on Thanksgiving morning. America's Research Group forecasts this year's Black Friday will "break all records," and Macy's is pushing sales by advertising Black Friday deals on Facebook starting Thursday. Chicago Sun-Times (11/15) - Wal-Mart to open 5 hours earlier on Black Friday: Wal-Mart shoppers should just have time for a nap between their Thanksgiving dinner and the start of the chain's Black Friday shopping. Wal-Mart said Monday it will open its doors at midnight rather than its usual 5 a.m. on Black Friday, and the chain has already begun offering a preview of its deals. NPR.org/The Associated Press (11/15)
- Whole Foods rates meat based on animal treatment
Whole Foods is rolling out a program that rates meat based on how the producers treat their animals, sets a minimum standard and uses a color-coded labeling system. The system, developed with the Global Animal Partnership, looks at factors including pasture time, living conditions, what the animals are fed and whether they are given antibiotics. Chicago Tribune (11/15)  | Get key demographic and market facts about any location in the U.S. on the go with the Business Analyst Online app. Download the free app now and instantly evaluate an area on-site. | - Tests reveal lead in some reusable grocery bags
Several reusable shopping bags sold by Winn-Dixie and Publix stores in Florida were found to contain varying levels of lead, in two rounds of testing commissioned by The Tampa Tribune. The lead doesn't instantly rub off but can be released as the bags are used over time, the report said. Both chains said they will refund the purchase price of the bags to any consumers who bring them back. The Tampa Tribune (Fla.) (11/14) - Upscale retailers look at outlet, off-price stores
Fashion retailers including Neiman Marcus and Macy's Bloomingdales have opened off-price boutiques, appealing to upscale shoppers who have less cash. "The off-price segment is one of the healthier retail segments and we saw this void," said a vice president with Neiman Marcus. The Sun (Baltimore) (11/15)  | Increase Profitability and Productivity in 2011
Download this free Aberdeen report to learn how Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) can help improve operational performance, and differentiation. As capital and credit become readily available again, use ERP to gain the competitive advantage. | - Borders unwraps a revamped website in time for holiday gifting
Borders debuted its revamped e-commerce site Monday, offering free shipping on all of the day's orders to entice customers. In addition to discounts on more than 100,000 titles and free-shipping offers, the site incorporates more content including The New York Times best-seller lists and customer- and employee-generated book reviews. InternetRetailer.com (11/15)  | The Forrester Wave™ B2C eCommerce Platforms, 2010
View the report for evaluations of top commerce platform vendors across a range of business and technology criteria, and see why ATG is cited as a leader, with the top scores in technology architecture, customer management, customer service, install base strength, and e-commerce revenues. Download Now | - What to do when customers complain
Unhappy customers are an inevitable side effect of doing business no matter how conscientious you are, writes Rhonda Abrams. The first step to handling complaints is to listen and avoid getting defensive. Abrams also suggests viewing the complaint as an opportunity to improve and avoid assigning blame. USA TODAY (11/12) - Small businesses are starting to see improvement
Economists are seeing a slight turnaround in the fortunes of small businesses as capital becomes easier to access and consumers start making more purchases. Small-cap stock indexes have outperformed the overall market, and analysts are upgrading some smaller companies. Bloomberg (11/15)  | New 2010 Enterprise VoIP Buyer's Guide
This updated Buyer's Guide from Focus will help you fully understand both your business phone system needs as well as the purchase process. Compare features and read advice from other buyers.
Click Here to learn more. |
| NRF News |  | | | - Budget-focused holiday shoppers to rely less on credit
As Americans strive to stick to a budget, their use of credit cards for holiday purchases will be the lowest since 2002. Instead, two-thirds of Americans plan to pay primarily with debit cards and cash, according to a new NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch. Other survey findings? Discretionary gifts are back as sales of jewelry and gift cards will rise, and early "Black Friday" sales are making an impact. Read more. - NRF asks Senate not to expand lawsuits over gender discrimination
NRF is asking the Senate to reject legislation set for a vote this week that would remove caps on employee lawsuits claiming gender discrimination in hiring, promotion or pay, and make it more difficult for businesses to defend themselves. In a letter to members of the Senate, NRF General Counsel Mallory Duncan warned that current legislative proposals would "greatly increase government involvement in pay decisions in businesses of all sizes" and encourage trial lawyers to pursue "unlimited damages against America's business owners." Read more. - CyberMonday.com redesigned to help shoppers save money
More than 700 retailers have come together again to feature some of their best holiday deals on Shop.org's CyberMonday.com. The redesigned site features two new sections dedicated to the top 10 hottest products and favorite deals and also includes an emphasis on social media. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Equity firm acquires Rock Bottom Restaurants
Private equity firm Centerbridge Capital Partners has acquired Rock Bottom Restaurants and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group. The combined company's portfolio of 200 craft-beer-focused casual eateries includes Rock Bottom Breweries, Old Chicago and The Chophouse. The Denver Post (11/15)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
In "How The Vitamin Shoppe Answered the Inventory Question," Tony Truesdale (President & Chief Merchant) and Jason Scheffer (Director of Inventory) discuss how the company quickly raised turn & in-stocks while also reducing working capital needs prior to The Vitamin Shoppe's successful IPO in October '09 — the first retailer to do so in almost two years.
Interested in learning more about advertising in NRF SmartBrief? Contact Susan W. Kim at (202) 407-7877 or skim@smartbrief.com.  | |  | |  |
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