| January 10, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Retailers begin BIG Show with cheery outlook
 Retailers kicked off NRF's BIG Show Sunday with a more optimistic outlook than they've had in a couple of years. "It's going to be a particularly good show, because the jury is out on what's next for retail in this recession and what does the post-recession retail outlet look like," said Steve McGowan of Cincinnati's Landor Associates, who has attended the show for eight years. The Cincinnati Enquirer (1/7)       - Boscov's thrives under reclaimed ownership
Department store chain Boscov's reported holiday results that beat many of its competitors, less than two years after its former owner reacquired the chain. Albert Boscov and Edwin Lakin bought the Pennsylvania-based chain in a 2009 bankruptcy sale, with the help of a $43 million loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Lebanon Daily News (Lebanon, Pa.) (1/7)  | HBR's Must-Reads on Leadership
How does a good manager transform into an extraordinary leader? This collection of best-selling Harvard Business Review articles includes: "What Makes a Leader?," "What Leaders Really Do," "The Work of Leadership," "Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?," and "Crucibles of Leadership." Order here in print or PDF. |
 - Report: Shoppers to increase spending cautiously in 2011
Shoppers will carry their newfound thriftiness into the new year, putting more thought into their purchases even as they increase their spending, according to a new report from Deloitte. "To the extent they spend, they will be very price-sensitive and more apt to spend more on small things rather than big items," said analyst Ira Kalish. Reuters (1/9) - Retailers' efforts to cut costs have paid off: Retailers' profits grew in 2009, despite the economic downturn. According to a report from Deloitte and STORES Media, retailers moved quickly last year to cut costs and realized the savings they needed to boost their bottom lines despite slower sales. CNBC (1/9)
 | NRF 100th Annual Convention & Expo |  |  | | |  | - Merchants urged to focus on global, mobile and green
Retailers gathered at NRF's 100th annual convention in New York on Sunday heard from several speakers about the need to focus on sustainability efforts, mobile strategies and international initiatives. NRF Chairman and Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren also stressed the need for stores to cultivate a local flavor: "Being locally and individually relevant will be the new standard for stores." The Record (Hackensack, N.J.) (1/10) - Retailers test RFID strategies to improve efficiency
 Expanded use of RFID technology is likely to become one of 2011's hottest retail trends, writes SmartBrief Senior Editor Megan Conniff. At the opening day of NRF's Big Show, execs from Macy's and Jones Apparel shared tales from their recent RFID tests, which included greatly improved inventory accuracy at Macy's SoHo store. NRF Blog (1/9)  | Retailers need to maximize profits from every inch of their retail stores in order to meet heightened expectations for personalized customer service and improve the profitability of their stores. Learn more about maximizing space utilization while localizing and tailoring assortment mix, pricing, and promotions in this free white paper. |
 - Sites encourage sharing of favorite product picks
A few relatively new sites encourage consumers to share their favorite products with friends and followers. Sites such as Fancy and Svpply encourage consumers to post photos, descriptions and brief reviews of their own creations as well as their favorite products. The content goes into the user's online feeds, and includes links to purchase the products. The New York Times (free registration) (1/7)  | INTRODUCING HP ePRINT— Print from anywhere from any mobile device.* The HP Officejet Pro 8500A Plus e-All-in-One now with $120 INSTANT REBATE. BUY NOW.
*Requires an Internet connection to the printer. Feature works with any Internet- and Email-capable device. Print times may vary. Click here for details. |
 | Hot Topics | | | | Top five news stories selected by NRF SmartBrief readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
| | | Most Popular Headlines from Last Week Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers. |
| NRF News | | | | - Retail's BIG Party lives up to its name
By the end of Retail's BIG Party, the opening reception for NRF's 100th Annual Convention, capacity had been reached at the Hard Rock Cafe Times Square, where attendees networked, relaxed and and even competed against each other for prizes. The reception ended a jam-packed day of educational sessions on everything from sustainable business practices to a look at the global power of retail. Read more. - IRS says gift cards not to be counted as taxable income
The Internal Revenue Service has given retailers a major victory by ruling that sales of gift cards don't have to be counted as taxable income until they are redeemed, even if they were sold through a subsidiary or franchise or issued as a refund for returned merchandise. The ruling should end audits, which retailers have faced over the issue. Read more. - Doneger Group's David Wolfe predicts the future of fashion
Fashion is by definition "a reflection of the society that wears it ... changing dramatically and rapidly," says David Wolfe, creative director of The Doneger Group. In a recent BIG Show session, Wolfe presented a look at the past 100 years of fashion and his forecasts for what the future holds for the industry. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Chipotle faces higher prices, less-certain supply in 2011
Leading burrito chain Chipotle's commitment to buying local, naturally produced meats and produce appeals to consumers, but the philosophy could result in lower profit and supply shortages, writes analyst David Phillips. Commodity food prices rose substantially last year and are on track to continue increasing as colder weather affects crops and meat producers reduce herds because of rising feed prices. BNET (1/7)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
 | | | Interested in learning more about advertising in NRF SmartBrief? Contact Susan W. Kim at (202) 407-7877 or skim@smartbrief.com.  | | |  | |  |
| Career Track | | | |  | |  | | | | |  |  Loss Prevention Manager-PowerMax Warehouse-McCalla, Ala | OfficeMax | McCalla, AL | | Senior Buyer for Wine | Total Wine & More | Potomac, MD | | Director of eCommerce | South Moon Under | Berlin, MD | | Planogram Specialist | Exchange (Army Air Force Exchange Serivce) | Dallas, TX | | Operational Initiatives Manager | Ross Stores, Inc. | Pleasanton, CA | | Store Operations Manager - dd's DISCOUNTS | Ross Stores, Inc. | Pleasanton, CA | | Manager of New Store Openings & Operations | Ross Stores, Inc. | Pleasanton, CA | | Senior Project Manager | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Senior Merchandise Planner/Distributor | Navy Exchange Service Command | Virginia Beach, VA | | Divisional Merchandise Manager | Navy Exchange Service Command | Virginia Beach, VA | | Traffic Management Specialist | Navy Exchange Service Command | Virginia Beach, VA | | Merchandise Planner | Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) | Virginia Beach, VA | | Merchandise Planner | Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) | Virginia Beach, VA | | Associate Buyer - International & Offshore Markets (Bilingual Spanish required) | OfficeMax | Naperville, IL | | Chief Merchant/General Merchandise Manager | Moosejaw Mountaineering | Madison Heights, MI | | Vice President of Strategic Planning | Rent-A-Center | Plano, TX | | | |  | |  |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | The unifying force driving businesses to Twitter today is a simple concept: Consumers don't like being ignored and businesses know they need to listen."
--Ben Grossman,
communication strategist  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com | | | | | | | | | | Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: - Friday, January 07, 2011
- Thursday, January 06, 2011
- Wednesday, January 05, 2011
- Tuesday, January 04, 2011
- Monday, January 03, 2011
| | | Lead Editor: Megan Conniff
Contributing Editor: Faye Rapoport
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