Top 10 stories for NRF SmartBrief

As promised, here are the 10 most-clicked NRF SmartBrief stories from the past 30 days. Feel free to share these greatest hits with your colleagues and tell them about SmartBrief. Also, if you enjoy NRF SmartBrief, we'd appreciate you recommending it to others who might find it useful. It's FREE and open to everyone. Thanks for subscribing!
1) 5 leadership tips from GameStop CEO Paul Raines
Everything from excellent customer service to improving loss prevention starts at the top, and good leaders set the example, GameStop CEO Paul Raines told attendees at NRF's Loss Prevention Conference. Raines shares five tips for improving your leadership skills, including staying current with technology and new loss prevention tools and encouraging loss prevention executives to work with marketing and merchandising teams to develop win-win strategies. NRF Blog (06/13)
2) J.C. Penney taps Apple's retail chief as next CEO
J.C. Penney said Tuesday that Ron Johnson, the head of Apple's retail stores and a senior vice president for 11 years, will take over the department store chain's CEO post when Myron "Mike" Ullman steps down on Nov. 1. Johnson, whose resume also includes a stint at Target, is credited with much of the phenomenal success of Apple's retail stores. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (06/14) Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model), The (06/15)
3) Teens use flash mobs to carry out retail robberies
Teenagers who use social media to organize flash mobs in which they break into a dance or turn into zombies at an appointed hour are increasingly turning the gimmick into a way to carry out retail thefts. The groups of teens, who act quickly and in concert, are likely driven by a pack mentality, according to this article, and have stolen from several Chicago merchants including Filene's Basement, The North Face and Express. FoxNews.com (06/18)
4) Supreme Court rejects class action for bias suit against Wal-Mart
The Supreme Court has ruled that class action status for a job-discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart cannot proceed because the group of people involved is too large. The decision was seen as a big victory for the business community and the nation's largest retailer. CNN (06/20)
5) J.C. Penney rethinks the shopper experience
J.C. Penney's announcement this week that Apple store executive Ron Johnson will be its next CEO hints at the chain's plans to reinvent itself and make the department stores more relevant in an online shopping age. Other retailers have attempted to revamp their concepts with varying degrees of success, including Macy's, which put an emphasis on new, exclusive apparel lines, and PetSmart, which added grooming and other services that online merchants can't offer. New York Times (tiered subscription model), The (06/15)
6) American Girl wins as parents spend on upscale toys
American Girl thrived even during the recession, as parents continued to pay for the pricey dolls and accessories their daughters love. The company expects thousands to line up early Saturday before it opens the doors of its newest store in Tyson's Corner, Va., a 23,000-square-foot store that also includes a hair salon and 110-seat bistro where girls dine with their dolls. Washington Times, The (06/16)
7) CEO of Payless parent Collective Brands resigns
Collective Brands Chairman and CEO Matthew Rubel resigned Wednesday, saying he plans to pursue "a new chapter." Rubel, a former Nike executive, held the post at the parent company of Payless ShoeSource and Stride Rite since 2005. Michael Massey was named interim CEO, and the company will conduct a search for a permanent replacement. Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model), The (06/15)
8) Analysts: What Talbots needs to succeed
Talbots began as a catalog retailer selling suits and separates to women after World War II and branded itself over the next five decades with apparel stores aimed at appealing to conservative career women. The 2007 recession sparked a shift to younger, trendier consumers, but the strategy backfired as Talbots alienated many of its long-time shoppers without building a new clientele, industry watchers say, and future success depends on clearly defining its audience. Bloomberg Businessweek (06/16)
9) Lawyers target retail chains over shortage of staff seats
Lawyers in California have targeted nearly every national retail chain that operates there, with lawsuits claiming the stores don't provide "suitable seating" for staffers who spend most of the shift on their feet. In previous years, the cases might be seen as nuisance suits, but two recent appellate court decisions made "suitable seating" the law. The cases could cost merchants millions in damages. Oakland Tribune (Calif.), The (06/18)
10) Neiman Marcus taps former Williams-Sonoma VP to lead online business
Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (06/14)

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