Wal-Mart looks for partners to build on its health-care offerings

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November 10, 2011 News for the retail industry   Top Story    Penney CEO seeds management ranks with Apple, Target alums Ron Johnson took over as J.C. Penney CEO a week ago and has already made some management changes, including reportedly tapping former Apple colleague and current Kellwood CEO Michael Kramer as chief operating officer. Last month Johnson named another past co-worker, former Target marketing chief Michael Francis, as the new Penney president. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (11/10)      Consumer Insights Your Brand Needs to Know: Latest Trends in Behavioral Advertising Learn what brand managers, advertisers, as well as networks, agencies, and publishers need to know about consumer survey insights into behavioral ad serving, also known as interest-based advertising. Learn more today!   Industry Watch    Wal-Mart looks for partners to build on its health-care offerings Wal-Mart is in search of companies to partner as the retail chain expands the low-cost health-care services it offers at its in-store clinics, the company said Wednesday. The chain's 141 clinics lag behind those of CVS Caremark and Walgreens, and competing big box and supermarket chains including Target, Kroger and Safeway also are expanding their in-store clinics. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (11/10)      Former Barneys window dresser dishes from behind the glass Simon Doonan isn't decorating the holiday windows at Barneys New York City flagship for the first time in 25 years, but the long-time creative director turned Barneys ambassador is keeping his hand in. In this interview, he dispels the myth that window displays are popping up earlier every year and drops the names of some of the city's window-designing legends. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (11/8)      Lady Gaga and her team to transform Barneys: Barneys shared details this week on what the New York City flagship's entrance and fifth floor will look like after Lady Gaga and her team of workers transform the spaces for the holidays. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.)/The Associated Press (free registration) (11/9)      Other News New Era Cap Co. to test new footprint with Chicago flagship Display & Design Ideas (11/9)      Siriano: Payless line appeals to broad range of consumers Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (11/9)      Maintaining accurate inventory is at the heart of retailing. Perpetual inventory solutions are one means to that end. Download our white paper, Inventory Is the Store: How Mobility Maximizes Return on Investment, to learn how Zebra mobile inventory solutions improve inventory management by meeting your inventory where it lives on the shelves.   Retail trends    Is the editorial line moving as magazines and retail meld? Retailers have discovered that customers who come to their sites for the editorial content stay longer and buy more often, a shift not lost on a growing number of magazines that have created editorial and advertising partnerships, such as Esquire's deal with J.C. Penney. The shift raises questions about how magazines will maintain editorial independence. Mashable (11/9)      Designer lipstick and other "pragmatic luxuries" Women flocked to Bergdorf Goodman on a recent evening to be among the first to snag $48 designer lipsticks from Tom Ford. As lipsticks and other cosmetics become affordable luxuries, luxury brands including Chanel, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana are seeing success with tubes of designer lip color that can cost as much as $60. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (11/9)      Key Steps Business Owners Should Know About Successful International Payments. This American Express® guide helps you streamline FX payments. Includes FX payment provider profile, how to simplify payments, and insightful FAQ.   Retail Technology    Lord & Taylor aims for young consumers with mobile, social Lord & Taylor has signed more than 100,000 consumers for its months-old text messaging program. The department store chain partnered with social site Fashism to create a service that lets shoppers share pictures of their proposed prom dresses to make sure nobody else will be wearing it, says CEO Brendan Hoffman. The chain's mobile and social initiatives are largely focused on attracting younger shoppers to the brand. The Business Insider (11/9)        Gap expands location-based service with personalized offers Gap has partnered with Visa to add personalized real-time promotions via text message to its location-based Gap Mobile4U program, the company said. Users who opt to receive the messages can redeem the promotions at select Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic stores. MobileCommerceDaily.com (11/9)      Form the huddle now for 2012. You can create an effective game plan for the next year by using procedural review audits to examine successes, to identify failures and to focus on known areas of loss. Learn this retail operations strategy to prepare for the new year in Wren Solutions’ whitepaper and begin tackling loss and scoring better profits.   Main Street    5 ways to end 2011 on a positive note As time runs out on 2011, businesses should hold meetings to go over end-of-year objectives, Linda Dulye writes. These meetings should include opportunities for discussion and be used to make sure everyone is performing the correct duties. "If your team has been downsized or has taken on new responsibilities, use your planning session to ensure the right people are signed-up for the right tasks and projects," she writes. Fox Business Small Business Center (11/8)      Business Analytics: Optimizing Your Operations Organizations are gathering and storing enormous amounts of information. Read this e-book to see how mid-sized organizations can better use information to drive business decisions to lower costs and improve profit. Discover how you can overcome the barriers midsized business face and improve your competitive position.   Sponsored Content    Create Content That Search Engines Love Susan Kuchinskas 5 Things Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Steve Jobs Todd Wasserman Small Business Snapshot: Bernanke Asks Gov. To Help Small Biz Katie Morell The 4 Laws To A Perfect Elevator Pitch (And How To Create One) Neil Patel What Smart Entrepreneurs Know About Engaging Their Customers Scott Ginsberg   NRF News  Return fraud to cost retailers $3.5 billion this holiday season Fewer retailers are expecting return fraud rates to grow this holiday season, thanks in part to enhanced return policies and requiring identification when receipts are not present during the return process. According to NRF's annual Return Fraud Survey released today, the retail industry will lose an estimated $3.48 billion to return fraud this holiday season, down from $3.73 billion last year. "Those who think they will be able to get away with manipulating a company's return policy will be sorely disappointed this holiday season," said Joe LaRocca, NRF senior asset protection advisor. Read more.      NRF SmartStat: Nov. 10, 2011 In 2010, 42.7% of total retail shrinkage was due to employee theft. Source: NRF        Introduction of new Senate bill shows momentum on sales tax fairness NRF welcomed introduction of the Marketplace Fairness Act, saying the measure shows momentum is quickly building for Congress to pass legislation requiring Internet merchants to collect sales tax the same as local businesses. NRF is also intensifying its lobbying, grassroots, advertising and earned media outreach to push for passage of sales tax fairness legislation. "Over the last 20 years the retail industry has changed dramatically, but unfortunately our antiquated regime for sales tax collection has not kept up," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. Read more.      Learn more about NRF -> Join NRF  |  Govt Relations  |  NRF Events  |  STORES  |  NRF Foundation   Chain Restaurant News  Wendy's targets fast casual to boost sales Wendy's aims to recapture its role at the high end of the quickservice food chain by introducing midpriced products that rival fast-casual fare from chains such as Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Smashburger, CEO Emil Brolick said Wednesday. Wendy's will launch the new "W" burger line this year with offerings priced at $2.99, in between the chain's 99-cent menu and premium burgers that cost up to $6. BurgerBusiness.com (11/9), St. Louis Post-Dispatch/The Associated Press (11/9)      McDonald's dubs 11/11/11 as "Fryday" McDonald's franchisees in the Chicago market are using tomorrow's palindromic date to promote half-priced fries. Dubbing 11/11/11 "Fryday," the restaurants are advertising on billboards that use fries separated by lines of ketchup to spell out the date, and the eateries will also host a competition to create the best dish to go with the popular potatoes. Crain's Chicago Business (11/9)      Position Title Company Name Location Retail Due Diligence Examiner Spain, Price, Reader & Thompson, PC Nationwide, United States HR Director, Retail Stores SalonCentric Based in NJ & NYC, NJ Assistant General Manager Merchandise - Hackensack, NJ Store Saks Fifth Avenue Hackensack, NJ Fashion Buyer Target Minneapolis, MN Merchandise Buyer - Fashion Apparel Kohl's Department Stores Menomonee Falls, WI Marketing Director - Bala Cynwyd, PA - Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue Bala Cynwyd, PA Lead Analyst, Point-of-Sale Configuration Total Wine & More Potomac, MD Enterprise Architect Manager Cabela's Sidney, NE Sr. Systems Training and Communications Specialist Bj's Wholesale Club, Inc. Westborough, MA Director, Store Planning and Project Development Ross Stores, Inc. Pleasanton, CA Director of Operations Five Below, Inc. Philadelphia, PA Store Director - Las Vegas, NV Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH Las Vegas, NV Category Manager - Copy & Print Staples Framingham, MA Selling Director - Intimates - New York, NY Saks Fifth Avenue New York, NY Selling Director - Men's Luxury Apparel - New York, NY Saks Fifth Avenue New York, NY Director - Asset Protection - New York, NY Saks Fifth Avenue New York, NY Director- Marketing Saks Fifth Avenue- Palm Desert, CA Palm Desert, CA Manager, Retail Communications/Training L.L. Bean Freeport, ME Director, International Government Affair The Clorox Company Oakland, CA Buyer - Junior Tops, Dresses and Related Separates Bealls Bradenton, FL Recruiting Manager - Atlanta Area Saks Fifth Avenue Atlanta, GA Talent Development Director Saks Fifth Avenue- Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Paralegal III The Clorox Company Oakland, CA Click here to view more job listings.   SmartQuote  Freedom is man's capacity to take a hand in his own development. 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