 | January 26, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Obama proposal to lower tax rate wins retailers' approval
A plan to lower the corporate tax rate without raising the deficit, outlined by President Barack Obama in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, won the approval of business interests including NRF. While Obama didn't offer details, he wants to lower the 35% rate by eliminating a number of tax breaks -- most of which do not benefit retailers. "Rather than having a tax incentive here and a tax incentive there, it makes better sense for the economy to allow businesses to make decisions on what will create the most growth," said NRF tax counsel Rachelle Bernstein. The Wall Street Journal (1/26)       - Lowe's to hire up to 10,000 weekend sales staff
Lowe's said Tuesday it will cut 1,700 middle managers and hire up to 10,000 weekend sales people to serve customers during its stores' busiest hours. The move is part of a cost-cutting strategy designed to boost profits at the home-improvement retailer. Bloomberg (1/25) - Best Buy taps Justin Bieber, Ozzy Osbourne for Super Bowl debut
Best Buy's first Super Bowl spot will pair teen sensation Justin Bieber with veteran rocker Ozzy Osbourne. The inclusion of Bieber is meant to help Best Buy in its push to become known as much for its Internet savvy as its electronics goods. But brand expert Martin Lindstrom criticized Best Buy's alliance with Bieber, calling it "one of the most awkward relationships I've heard of in a long time." USA TODAY (1/25) - Wal-Mart goes back to basics with focus on low prices
Wal-Mart is reportedly refocusing on its original "Everyday Low Price" mission as it gears up for fiercer competition from chains including Dollar General and Family Dollar. High gas prices and unemployment have kept lower-income consumers in belt-tightening mode, a trend that has helped dollar stores compete against the retail giant with smaller packaging and more convenient locations. New York Post (1/25) - Coach to begin shifting production from China
Coach plans to shift some of its production from China to markets with lower labor costs including India and Vietnam, the luxury retailer said Tuesday. Rising wages in China are making production more expensive, but the county is providing the company with a profitable new customer base -- Coach saw double-digit sales growth there in the most recent quarter, and the company views China as one of its fastest-growing markets. The Wall Street Journal (1/25)  | Facebook eCommerce Success: 3 Best Practices
Getting the most from Facebook investments continues to be a leading business concern. Learn how and why a combination of tools — both on-site and off — achieves the greatest impact and optimal user experience. Click here to download the free whitepaper | - Football fans to boost Super Bowl spending this year
U.S. consumers are expected to spend about 13% more than they did last year on TVs, apparel and food in anticipation of the Super Bowl, according to a recent survey by NRF's Retail Advertising and Marketing Association. About 4.5 million people plan to take advantage of pre-game sales at independent retailers and chains including Best Buy to purchase new TVs in advance of the Feb. 6 game, the survey said. Crain's New York Business (1/25)  | 23 pros & big brand practitioners on mastering business blogging
Discover the strategies of 23 of the world's most respected blogging experts and specialists like David Germano at the Blogging Success Summit 2011. Benefit immediately when big brands like Procter & Gamble, McDonalds, Sony, and Cisco reveal the latest techniques and proven business-building tactics. Register today! |
 - Technology personalizes the shopping experience
Digitized window displays, motion-gesture navigation signs and custom e-mail messages are some of the technological advances retailers are using to win customers. "We want to provide an experience for shoppers that allows them to engage and interact with the brand and products in a whole new level," said Jose Avalos, a general manager at Intel. "We have to really bring the product to shoppers." MarketWatch (1/25)  | New cloud management techniques enable IBM to provide a simplified "anywhere, anytime" self-service approach for the delivery and consumption of IT services. Read this paper to see how using a cloud-based approach for your IT can free you to reap immediate benefits of a specific technology instead of having to spend time, resources, and money focusing on how to implement it. |
 | Policy & Government Affairs |  | | | - Florida county officials debate tax incentives for Bass Pro Shop
Officials in Hillsborough County, Fla., debated the merits of using tax incentives designed to entice business that create high-paying jobs to the area to attract outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops. Incentives including property tax breaks and low-interest bonds aren't typically used to bring retail businesses to the Tampa area, but the company's track record of attracting consumers from up to 400 miles away might make the chain an exception to the rule, some said. The Tampa Tribune (Fla.) (1/25)
| NRF News | | | | - Obama highlights retail jobs, swipe fee reform in State of the Union
NRF welcomed President Obama's recognition of the importance of the retail industry to job creation in last night's State of the Union address. "We are anxiously waiting to hear the details, but the tax reform, deficit reduction, trade agreements, reduction in regulations that hamper small business, and other initiatives proposed by the President are all examples of how the government can help the private sector create jobs," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. Read more. - NRF SmartStat: Jan. 26, 2011
 4.5 million people will take advantage of retailers' promotions and buy a new television for the Super Bowl this year, up from 2.7 million in 2009. Source: RAMA survey conducted by BIGresearch. - Tablet shopping: what works and what doesn't
Tablet devices such as the iPad are impacting a variety of industries, but e-commerce may stand to gain the most from this game-changing development. In an upcoming INNOVATE 2011 session, Like.com CEO and co-founder Munjal Shah will discuss how to execute a tablet consumer experience for maximum effectiveness. INNOVATE 2011, the Retail Innovation and Marketing Conference, will be held March 8-10 in San Francisco. Advance registration ends Friday, Jan. 28. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Darden to test Red Lobster/Olive Garden combo
Darden Restaurant Group will open a new prototype that combines its Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants under one roof. The eatery, slated to open in March in Palm Coast, Fla., is designed for smaller markets that don't meet the company's population requirements for just one brand, a spokesman said. The restaurants will share a kitchen, but each will have its own dining room and menu. American City Business Journals/Jacksonville, Fla. (1/25) | Career Track | | | |  | |  | | | | |  |  Product Manager | EcoQue | Seattle, WA | | Asset Protection Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Beverly Hills, CA | | Vice President - Divisional Merchandise Manager | The Vitamin Shoppe | North Bergen, NJ | | Retail Consulting Affiliate | Management One | Multiple Locations, United States | | Telecom Business Manager | AAFES | Okinawa, Japan | | Vice President, Sterling | Sterling Shoes Inc. | VANCOUVER, Canada | | Systems Analyst-Merchandising Applications | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Manager IS Data Center & Wintel | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Senior Program Manager | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | 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 | | Corporate Recruiter - Merchandising and Retail | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Program Analyst/Logistics | Marine Corps Exchanges/Headquarters Marine Corps | Quantico, VA | | Chief Merchant/General Merchandise Manager | Moosejaw Mountaineering | Madison Heights, MI | | Merchandise Data Analyst | Marine Corps Exchanges/Headquarters Marine Corps | Quantico, VA | | Associate Buyer - International & Offshore Markets (Bilingual Spanish required) | OfficeMax | Naperville, IL | | Divisional Merchandising Manager - Men's Sportswear | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, Florida, FL | | Divisional Merchandising Manager - Home Decor & Gifts | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | VP of Marketing | Teavana | Atlanta - Buckhead, GA | | Lead Analyst, Paid Search | Target Corporation | Minneapolis, MN | | Senior Manager, Site Planning | Target Corporation | Minneapolis, MN | | | |  | |  |
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