| March 14, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Retailers in Japan face challenges in quake aftermath
Retailers across Japan are dealing with the effects of the massive earthquake, tsunami and ongoing tremors. Several stores announced that they would reduce their hours of operation to cooperate with planned power outages. Consumers rushed to gather necessary food supplies, prompting concerns about a shortage of bread, bottled water and instant noodles. Japan Retail Fund Investment Corp. said three of the shopping malls it owns are no longer operating because of damage sustained during the earthquake. JapanToday.com (3/14), Bloomberg (3/14), CNN (3/14)       - A note on helping relief efforts in Japan, from Rick Stamberger, CEO of SmartBrief: If you or your company, organization or group want to help the Japanese people recover from last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami but aren't sure how to do so, InterAction provides options. An alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental aid organizations, InterAction has compiled a list of groups that are accepting private, corporate and group donations, along with some guidelines for the most appropriate ways to help. Learn more.
- Ann Taylor tailors its name to mirror new ventures
Ann Taylor has removed the "Taylor" part of its name to promote its shift to an increased presence online and at outlet stores. "One of our key priorities in 2011 is to further capitalize on the enormous potential of the e-commerce channel," said Chief Executive Kay Krill. Going forward, the retailer simply will be know as Ann Inc. Reuters (3/11) - Home Depot builds a better in-store hiring process
Home Depot has hammered out the details of a new hiring process that is expected to streamline the chain's ability to employ 60,000 new associates this spring without bogging down in-store productivity. Potential employees now will face two reviews at the corporate level before they're invited to the store for a final face-to-face interview. "The process is designed to screen the best candidates," said Tim Hourigan, Home Depot's vice president of human resources. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (3/13) - Borders aims to exit bankruptcy in time for holiday season
Borders, looking ahead to the 2011 holiday retail season, is working to reconfigure its superstores to include less space for large inventories and more room for features such as cafes or consumer electronics selections. The company, which recently announced that it will close 200 superstores and possibly another 75 underperforming stores by summer's end, also is strengthening its focus on selling e-readers, including Kobo e-readers. The Wall Street Journal (3/14)  | Drive sales by adding mobile to your retail communications and marketing campaigns using SMS. Common Short Code (CSC) based text messaging campaigns deliver great results. Download this whitepaper to see how SMS is helping retailers disseminate calls-to-action quickly and to a wider base of population, driving traffic and increasing revenue. | - More retailers buy into consumer buyback programs
With technological advances making new products almost obsolete just months after they were purchased, more retailers are buying into buyback promotions such as the one Best Buy is currently promoting. How it works: the retailer agrees to buy back your old gadget when a more advanced model comes along. The hope is that the consumer will turn around and buy the new and improved gadget before leaving the store. The Sun (Baltimore) (3/13)  | Supercharging the Online Channel
Getting to the right shoppers and then converting them to buyers in your online store is every retailer's key objective. Short purchase windows, impatient buyers, and new mandates around security are creating unprecedented demands on commerce sites. Learn how to attract customers to your site, optimize their online shopping experience and drive more transactions. Watch the webinar NOW! |
 - Facebook daily-deals service may challenge Groupon
Facebook plans to launch a daily-deals service in several cities in an experiment that could put pressure on independent services such as Groupon and LivingSocial. Local businesses will be recruited for the effort, and Facebook users will be encouraged to share the deals offered on their pages. The move follows Facebook's recent agreement with Warner Bros. to offer film rentals. Bloomberg (3/14)  | A Strategic Overview for Multi-Channel Retailers
E-commerce growth has significantly impacted the retail industry. Mail and phone orders will continue to exist, but are increasingly ceding ground to e-commerce. Download this white paper to learn more about the retail trends and strategies needed to thrive in the retail industry. |
 | 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.
| Policy & Government Affairs | | | | | | | Most Popular Headlines from Last Week Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers. |
| NRF News | | | | - New Era targets the passionate with new site
As part of a rebranding initiative last year, New Era launched a new website that has their customers engaging in a more social shopping experience. The result? More user-generated content than the company knows what to do with. Read more. - Nominations for Loss Prevention Awards due Friday
Do you know an exceptional loss prevention professional? NRF's Loss Prevention Awards recognize law enforcement officers, loss prevention professionals, law enforcement agencies and retail companies who have impacted their community or the industry and deserve nationwide recognition. The deadline for nominations is Friday. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Cracker Barrel CEO on the chain's evolving strategies
 As Cracker Barrel gets set to open its 600th store this month, the 41-year old restaurant chain is looking to make its brand even stronger across the U.S. CEO Mike Woodhouse talks about how the traditionally Southern chain plans to continue its growth, from streamlining its grilling and serving routines to opening its first store in Maine. The Tennessean (Nashville) (3/13) - Chick-fil-A experiments with green features in new restaurant
Chick-fil-A is using its newest restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, to try out new environmentally friendly technology. Chick-fil-A hopes to cut water usage by 40% by collecting rainwater for its landscaping. Low-flow fixtures in restrooms and the kitchen also are expected to bring savings. If the test is successful, the chicken franchise said it will expand the technology as it plans to open 75 new restaurants this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (3/13) | Career Track | | | |  | |  | | | | |  |  Merchant Opportunities at Kohl's | Kohl's | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Senior Buyer, Sports & Outdoors | Amazon.com | Seattle, WA | | Vice-President 24HourFitness.com | 24 Hour Fitness | San Ramon, CA | | Softlines Sourcing Manager | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Sr. Labor/Employment Attorney | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Product Development Foods Associate | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Senior Marketing Manager, Search Engine Optimization | macys.com | San Francisco, CA | | General Manager, Merchandise | Smithsonian Enterprises | Washington, DC | | Multi-Channel Strategy Sr. Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | Nationwide, United States | | Senior Vice President, Communities & Networks and Executive Director, Shop.org | National Retail Federation | Washington, DC | | Retail Manager | Tri-County Feeds | Marshall, VA | | | |  | |  |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | There's much to be said for challenging fate instead of ducking behind it."
--Diana Trilling,
American author  |
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- Thursday, March 10, 2011
- Wednesday, March 09, 2011
- Tuesday, March 08, 2011
- Monday, March 07, 2011
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