 | April 13, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Hanes to use flax fabric to offset higher cotton prices
HanesBrands has signed a 10-year deal to buy flax fiber from Portland, Ore.-based Naturally Advanced Technologies, which uses a part of the flax seed that's typically discarded by food producers to make a proprietary fabric called Crailar. Hanes expects to begin selling a small selection of products later this year that will be made with Crailar, which costs about 30% to 40% less than cotton. The Wall Street Journal (4/12)       - Sharper Image successor seeks to reimburse gift-card holders
Sharper Image liquidated its inventory and closed its namesake retail stores a few months after filing for bankruptcy protection in early 2008, but now the successor company has asked the court to approve a plan to spend $60,000 on a campaign to locate consumers left holding the chain's gift cards and reimburse them for the value of the cards, up to $2,245. Cardholders were added as creditors in the bankruptcy court case after one consumer holding a $50 card asked the judge to include them. The Wall Street Journal (4/13) - Deeper discounting takes a bite out of Levi's profits
Levi Strauss reported a double-digit decrease in quarterly earnings as a result of discounting key product lines including Dockers and Levi's jeans in an effort to boost sales among post-recession consumers still unwilling to pay full price. The company, which last year launched a campaign to reinvigorate the Dockers brand, says it's also seeing cautious ordering from retailers including Macy's, J.C. Penney and Kohl's. Los Angeles Times/Reuters (4/12)  | Prevent employee theft in distribution centers
Brijot's Loss Prevention solution can be easily integrated into your existing security procedures. Personnel in your warehouses or DC's can screen for concealed items with fast throughput scanners and you are able to protect your assets without worrying about employee health or privacy concerns. | | Retail trends |  | | | - Three-quarters of U.S. women claim to be bargain hunters
About 76% of women say they're bargain hunters, with 10% claiming to enjoy the challenge while 40% say they do it to save money on a limited budget, according to a national survey in Consumers Union's ShopSmart magazine. Additionally, 65% say they'll wait for a sale before making a purchase, and 37% profess to feeling guilty for paying full price. Yahoo!/LiveScience (4/12)  | The Plum Card®
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  - How mobile devices are changing the face of brick-and-mortar retail
Consumers increasingly are using their mobile devices to research products and prices before heading into the store, a shift that's changing the traditional roles of store personnel, who also are armed with mobile gadgets. Associates who previously acted as product experts are now depended on to maintain inventory accuracy and fill orders from a variety of the retailer's channels. STORES magazine (4/2011)  | Akamai - The Right Partner with the Right Solution
Are you failing to to satisfy user expectations for an outstanding online shopping experience? Do you need to accelerate your dynamic content? Do you strive to be a retailer that pushes the envelope with site technology and offerings? Learn why the Akamai Dynamic Site Accelerator is the right solution for those issues and more. |
| NRF News | | | | - Retail sales rise for ninth straight month
From clothing and electronics to home furnishings and building materials, retail sales in March increased for the ninth straight month, signaling a confident -- yet cautious -- consumer. According to NRF, retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) for March increased 0.6% seasonally adjusted from February and 3.9% unadjusted year-over-year. "While current indicators point to a more confident consumer, increasing gas prices and a cramped job market could hamper consumer spending during the upcoming summer months, a key time of year for retailers," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. Read more. - How Crate & Barrel is meeting new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act requirements
Nearly three years after the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, retailers continue to struggle with the guidelines. During a session at NRF's Global Supply Chain Summit, Crate & Barrel Director Virginia Thompson outlined four ways the company has amended old processes to conform to the new guidelines set out by the CPSIA as well as pitfalls to avoid for retailers across the country who will soon be grappling with the same issues. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - McDonald's franchisee set to raise about $1 billion in IPO
Argentina-based Arcos Dorados Holdings is preparing to go public this week, in an IPO that could raise almost $1 billion for investors in the world's largest McDonald's franchisee. The 4-year-old company, which operates 1,755 restaurants in Latin America and the Caribbean, is expected to net about $164 million from the offering, most of which will go toward opening new locations and renovating existing stores. ABC News/The Associated Press (4/12)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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Interested in learning more about advertising in NRF SmartBrief? Contact Susan W. Kim at (202) 407-7877 or skim@smartbrief.com.  | |  | |  |
| Career Track | | | |  | |  | | | | |  |  Vice President of Supply Chain & Replenishment | Total Wine | Potomac, MD | | Director of Store Operations | Five Below, Inc. | Philadelphia, PA | | Flagship Store Manager | MacKenzie-Childs | New York, NY | | Assistant Buyer | Headquarters Marine Corps/MWR & Business Operations | Quantico, VA | | Business Analyst-Merchandising | Headquarters Marine Corps/MWR & Business Operations | Quantico, VA | | Fixtures & Equipment Project Manager | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Retail Store Manager | Kitty Hawk Kites/Kitty Hawk Surf Company | Rodanthe, NC | | Sr. Manager Recruiting | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Senior Corporate Internal Auditor | PetSmart, Inc. | Phoenix, AZ | | Director of Customer Loyalty | Aeropostale | New York, NY | | Divisional Merchandise Manager- 2 positions available/Softlines and Consumables | Headquarters Marine Corps, MWR & Business Operations | Quantico, VA | | Senior Marketing Manager | Stage Stores, Inc. | Houston, TX | | Learning Solutions Manager - Southeast Region | Petsmart, Inc | Multiple Locations, United States | | Learning Solutions Manager - Northeast Region | Petsmart, Inc | Multiple Locations, United States | | Energy Manager | Tractor Supply Company | Brentwood, TN | | Inventory Manager | Tractor Supply Company | Brentwood, TN | | Marketing Manager Coupon Team | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Senior Manager, Site Planning | Target | 55402, MN | | Business Process Consultant Target.com | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Director of Campaign Analysis | Chico's FAS, Inc. | Fort Myers, FL | | | |  | |  |
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