 | May 26, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- How Urban Outfitters keeps things fresh
Clothing retailer Urban Outfitters relies on its managers and merchants' instincts to keep things fresh, says CEO Glen T. Senk. Managers are encouraged to travel widely and to experiment freely, Senk says, although they're also expected to carefully track the success or failure of their pilot campaigns. "We are gut driven -- but we verify with data," Senk says. Knowledge@Wharton (5/25)       - Neiman Marcus rolls out new tech initiatives
Upscale department store brands Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman aren't known for their technical savviness, but their online sales are growing rapidly and the chains are investing more in tech innovations such as streaming fashion shows and shoe-shopping applications to help them stay ahead of the curve, Neiman Marcus CEO Karen Katz said Wednesday. "We're selling more fashion on our website than in a number of our full-line Neiman Marcus stores," she said. Reuters (5/25) - Chanel unveils new boutique within Bergdorf Goodman: The Bergdorf Goodman New York flagship has debuted a 2,000-square-foot Chanel boutique complete with marble fireplace and a highly visible position next to the personal-shopping complex set up to pamper the store's wealthiest shoppers. Bergdorf has featured Chanel's designs since 1978, and the Neiman Marcus-owned chain is Chanel's biggest wholesale customer, said fashion division President Barbara Cirkva. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (5/25)
- Pershing Square founder takes "passive" stake in Family Dollar
Pershing Square Capital Management founder Bill Ackman recently invested in Family Dollar Stores, which rejected a takeover attempt by activist investor Nelson Peltz' Trian Fund Management in March. Ackman said he bought the stock because there's the potential for the chain to be acquired, but said he's a "passive" investor with no plans to push for a sale. Bloomberg Businessweek (5/25)  | Discover what risks could be lurking in your vacant commercial property with Zurich's guide 'Empty building, full of risk: Protecting your vacant commercial properties'. Click here for your FREE download! |
 - Merchants to have more input in designing next-gen malls
The sheer size of enclosed shopping malls make them ill-equipped to quickly shift gears in the face of new technology and trends that are changing the way people shop. True innovation will likely lie with developers of new shopping centers, and retailers are expected to have significant input in how the new centers are designed, industry watchers say. Yahoo!/Reuters (5/25) - Inflation puts strain on Payless, Costco customers
Lower-income shoppers are feeling the pain of ongoing unemployment and higher gas, food and apparel prices, and the impact is reflected in recent sales declines at Payless, which reported lower quarterly sales and said shoppers balked at a 9% increase in footwear prices. Costco and its warehouse competitors are benefiting as cash-strapped members seek out their lower gas and food prices, but maintaining lower prices is eating into profits. MarketWatch (5/25)  | Extending the value of the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system and taking full advantage of the extended supply chain is crucial to driving innovation and controlling costs. Download a new white paper entitled "Leveraging the Power of PLM in the Collaboration Age," to understand the importance of involving sourcing teams and strategic suppliers earlier in the design process. |
 - Brands break new ground with location-based tools
Companies including Target and H&M are experimenting with relatively new location-based technology to build loyalty and sales. Target has signed on with Shopkick, which rewards smartphone-armed customers with special offers just for walking into the store, and H&M's GoldRun iPhone application gives 10% discounts to fans who snap photos of featured items in the chain's store windows. iMedia Connection (5/26) - Mobile checkout gadgets may boost sales
New systems such as Stop & Shop's Scan It that let shoppers speed checkout by scanning items as they go may also encourage customers to spend more, according to this story. Scanning systems deliver instant coupons for items that may be complementary to the products shoppers have already scanned. Fox Business (5/25)  | Turning Online Shopper Uncertainty into a New Source of Sales and Profits. Eliminating consumer uncertainty is a challenge for all online merchants. The question is, how can you address shoppers' concerns and increase sales and profits in the process? Download the buySAFE white paper to learn more NOW! |
 | Main Street |  | | | - Facebook's local business guru tells all
Places, Deals, Likes, ads -- Facebook has introduced so many different marketing opportunities that it might be difficult to keep them all straight. In this Q-and-A, Emily White, Facebook's director of Local, discusses how small businesses can raise their profile on the social giant. Among other topics, she reveals how regularly you should be posting content to your customers. (Hint: It's probably less often than you think.) USA TODAY (5/24)  | The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN
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  | Policy & Government Affairs | | | | - Long Beach, Calif., bans plastic shopping bags
The city council in Long Beach, Calif., gave final approval to a plan that will ban plastic bags at many types of retail outlets including grocery stores, farmers markets, pharmacies and convenience stores. Merchants will also be required to charge shoppers 10 cents apiece for paper bags, in an effort to encourage shoppers to choose reusable bags. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.) (free registration) (5/25) 
| NRF News | | | | - Whole Foods associate shares keys to a successful career in customer service
As a 21-year retail veteran and customer service associate coordinator for Whole Foods Market, Lisa Ohashi knows a thing or two about the skills involved to climb the retail ladder. In a recent video post on the NRF Foundation's Retail Careers blog, Ohashi shares advice for associates, including the importance of customer service skills. Ohashi remarks, "I can teach anybody how to use a register. I can't teach you how to give great service." Watch the video. - NRF SmartStat: May 26, 2011
Delays to swipe fee reform could cost merchants and customers $1 billion per month. Source: NRF.  | - NRF accepting Retail Reference Center submissions
Has your company recently published a white paper, case study, benchmarking report, or other original document that serves to educate or support aspects of the retail industry? Members can submit content to the Retail Reference Center, which serves as a free resource for the industry. Submit your paper for "peer reviewed" status and gain added credibility. Learn more. |
| Chain Restaurant News | | | |  | |  | | | | |  |  Senior Vice President, Communities & Networks and Executive Director | Shop.org | Washington, DC | | Web Project Manager | The Wet Seal, INC | Foothill Ranch, CA | | Director of Real Estate | Teavana | Atlanta, GA | | Divisional Merchandise Manager, Consumables | Headquarters Marine Corps, MCCS | Quantico, VA | | Learning Solutions Manager - Southwest (Training Manager) | Petsmart | Southern California , CA | | Director of Retail | Wisteria | Dallas, TX | | Planogram Specialist | AAFES | Dallas, TX | | Retail Planogram Specialist | Headquarters Marine Corps, MCCS | Quantico, VA | | Entry Level Culinary Full Time | Wegmans Food Markets | Bridgewater , NJ | | Entry Level Culinary Part Time | Wegmans Food Markets | Ocean , NJ | | Cook III Full-Time Customer Service | Wegmans Food Markets | Bridgewater, NJ | | Director of Talent Acquisition | rue21 | Warrendale, PA | | Fashion Buyer | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Retail Marketing Manager | L.L.BEAN | Freeport, ME | | Purchasing Buyer, National Accounts | Bed Bath & Beyond | Union, NJ | | Senior Merchandise Planning Administrator | Headquarters Marine Corps, MCCS | Quantico, VA | | | |  | |  |
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