  | October 21, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
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 - Wal-Mart cuts health care benefits as costs rise
Wal-Mart said this week that all future employees who work less than 24 hours per week won't be eligible for the company's health insurance plans and those who work between 24 and 33 hours won't qualify for spousal coverage. The shift comes in response to rising health care costs, said company spokesman Greg Rossiter. "The decisions made were not easy, but they strike a balance between managing costs and providing quality care and coverage," he said. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (10/20)      - Bay CEO Brooks races to refashion retailer
Bonnie Brooks, chief executive officer at the Bay, appears to be in a race against time as she works to turn around the troubled retailer. Hudson's Bay, the retailer's parent company, had planned to launch an initial public offering to help with the revamp but has put the IPO on hold amid volatile markets. The move has been an added challenge to Brooks' efforts, but the Bay is showing signs of a revival. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (10/19)  | Doing More with Less in Challenging Economic Times
Retail stores are facing pressure from all sides, but there are some practical – and cost effective – ways to improve loyalty and drive advocacy at the store level. Register for this free webinar and discover what you can do today to transform your business for less. | - Jewelry stores shift to other metals as gold prices soar
Jewelry retailers including Zale and Tiffany & Co. are promoting pieces made with palladium, bronze and other metal alloys to consumers who find themselves priced out of the market for gold and platinum pieces. Gold and platinum prices have risen sharply since 2000, while the inflation-adjusted median income in the U.S. has declined 7%. Bloomberg (10/20) - Luxury merchants worry as Wall Street makes cuts
Major banking firms including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America have announced significant job cuts in recent months, spurring concerns among luxury retailers that hard times for Wall Street could signal slower sales. CNBC/Reuters (10/19) - Tougher economy signals the return of layaway
Kmart has seen its layaway business more than double each year for the past three years as budget-conscious consumers seek to avoid accruing more credit-card debt, and a growing number of other chains are offering layaway as a payment option, including Wal-Mart, which revived its layaway program for the holidays. "Layaway draws people into the store who may not have thought to shop there," said NRF's Kathy Grannis. MSNBC (10/20) - Are branded luxury shops a threat to department stores?
Direct-owned branded luxury stores have seen faster growth than department stores. While luxury department stores still command a bigger share of the overall market and luxury brands are struggling to build their e-commerce arms, some industry watchers wonder whether some upscale brands would fare better alone. Luxury Daily (10/20)  - App aims supermarket shoppers in the right direction
Grocery chain Meijer will set up all 200 of its stores to be compatible with a mobile application from Point Inside that displays the store's layout and pinpoints the location of the products on a shopper's list. The app helps retailers gain consumer insight by comparing their lists to what they actually buy, and it gives stores the option of offering shoppers real-time coupons based on their lists. InternetRetailer.com (10/19)  | Reward and motivate your employees with Target GiftCards®
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| NRF News |  |  | | - PRWeek covers success of NRF's swipe fee campaign
Behind the announcement of every big campaign, there is a strategist in the background pulling the strings and making sure the right people -- and issues -- stay in the spotlight. The public relations industry's most prominent publication -- PRWeek -- has recognized just that in NRF's newest executive hire, Tita Freeman, with a full feature in its October issue. The cover story takes a look at two recent NRF campaigns that have launched since Freeman's hire in May. Learn more. - NRF SmartStat: Oct. 21, 2011
 European retailers remain the most globally active, operating in an average of 11.7 countries. Source: Global 250 Powers of Retailing - How online shoppers plan to spend for the holidays
"Online shoppers are a generous lot," says Shop.org Head of Research Fiona Swerdlow. "And -- no matter what general economic indicators would have us believe -- this holiday season is no different." In a recent Shop.org blog post, Swerdlow shares all the stats on how online shoppers are expected to shop and spend -- and with what digital device -- this holiday season. Read more. - NRF launches "Thank you for shopping" ad in Times Square
As the holiday season gets under way, America's retailers want to simply say: "Thank you for shopping." Beginning last week and running through the holiday season, NRF has created ads that will run in Times Square on behalf of the retail industry thanking shoppers for continuing to support one of the most crucial industries in the country -- and one that is as close as can be to leading the economic recovery. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - BBI brings 3 brands together under 1 roof
Beautiful Brands International has begun testing tri-branded eateries in two locations, in an effort to both offer something for everyone in the group and boost sales to guests who come in for one item and end up buying more. The restaurants, which combine Rex's Chicken, FreshBerry Frozen Yogurt and Smallcakes Cupcakery, operate as one restaurant but advertise as separate brands. QSRMagazine.com (10/20) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Merchandise Manager | Party City | Rockaway, NJ | | VP of Marketing | Teavana | Atlanta - Buckhead, GA | | Shopper Marketing and Retail Promotions Director | Two West Inc. | Nationwide, United States | | Vice President, Business Development | Confidential | Akron, OH | | HR Director, Retail Stores | SalonCentric | Based in NJ & NYC, NJ | | Merchandise Planner | Smithsonian Museum Retail | Washington, DC | | Killian Fragrance Specialist | Saks Fifth Avenue | New Orleans, LA | | Chantecaille Beauty Specialist | Saks Fifth Avenue | New Orleans, LA | | Escada Brand Ambassador | Saks Fifth Avenue | San Antonio, TX | | Merchandise Buyer - Fashion Apparel | Kohl's Department Stores | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Sr. Systems Training and Communications Specialist | Bj's Wholesale Club, Inc. | Westborough, MA | | HR Manager (Corporate Headquarters) | Petsmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Sales Associate Career Day- Las Vegas, NV | Saks Fifth Avenue | San Francisco, CA | | Marketing Director | Saks Fifth Avenue | Hackensack, NJ | | Commission Sales Associates, Alterations/Fitter/Sewer, Department Managers, LP/Asset Protection | Saks Fifth Avenue | Chevy Chase, MD | | Visual Merchandising Manager | Headquarters, MCCS | Quantico, VA | | Fashion Buyer | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Sales Associate Career Day - Dadeland, FL | Saks Fifth Avenue | Dadeland, FL | | Corporate Visuals Manager | MacKenzie-Childs LLC | New York , NY | | Assistant General Manager - Merchandise | Saks Fifth Avenue | Boca Raton, FL | | Assistant General Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Tulsa, OK | | Sales Associates, Alterations, Asset Protection, Department Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Chevy Chase, MD | | Contract Recruiter - Merchandising | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Store Manager-Luxury Retail-San Diego | Tourneau LLC | San Jose, CA | | Assistant Store Manager-Luxury Retail-San Jose | Tourneau LLC | San Jose, CA | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
| | | | | | | | | Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: - Thursday, October 20, 2011
- Wednesday, October 19, 2011
- Tuesday, October 18, 2011
- Monday, October 17, 2011
- Friday, October 14, 2011
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Contributing Editor: Faye Rapoport
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