| January 31, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
 | Consolidating retail and e-commerce systems into a single platform can be a complex, yet highly beneficial project. Download our case study to see how enVista’s supply chain services enabled The Men’s Wearhouse to make the transition seamlessly and achieve improved operations, greater efficiencies, and flexibility in workforce and systems support. | | Industry Watch |  |  | | - Costco widens its growth horizons
Costco plans to spend between $1.4 and $1.6 billion on capital expenditures, including opening new stores both at home and in new global markets. The discount warehouse giant already operates stores in six markets, and is eyeing expansion to European cities including Paris and Madrid. "I do believe that the membership model run by Costco will prove successful in Europe," said retail analyst Sean Naughton. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (1/30)      - Macy's promotion to celebrate Brazil
 Macy's will launch a high-profile, two-month promotion on May 16 to celebrate the designs and culture of Brazil. Almost all of the company's 800 stores will have some products from the Latin American country, but 300 stores will have curated in-store shops featuring Brazilian fashions for men and women, home goods, beauty products, accessories and art. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (1/30)  | Fly a lot? Earn 3X rewards points on airline purchases with The New Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster:
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  - Prices of private labels are on the rise
Some private labels are being positioned as gourmet or specialty, with prices closer to those of national brands. Sometimes, as with Target's Archer Farms roasted almonds, they're higher. SymphonyIRI Group found that private-label products cost 29% less than brand-name equivalents, but prices increased 5.3% in 2011, while the industry average was 1.9%. The Wall Street Journal (1/31)  | Learn How to Cut HR Costs Without Cutting Production
Entrepreneurial execs know that they need to follow the rules, but they may not realize which decisions will lead to the two vital components that help keep HR costs low. The following paper focuses on minimizing human capital expenses in four key areas. Download the white paper, An Executive’s Guide to Cutting HR Costs to learn more. |
 | Retail Technology | | | |  | NEW: The 2011 American Pantry Study
This study takes a deeper look into consumer behaviors and attitudes to reveal the continued impact of the recession on the consumer, shopping attitudes, shopping channels and buying practices. Including data on more than 200 brands in over 20 categories, this is a must read for any brand looking to sell more product. Download it now. |
 - An innovation lesson from the Post-it Note
It's important to give your employees time to think and pursue their ideas if you want to spur innovation, Steve Strauss writes. One company that has used that approach is 3M, which introduced the Post-it Note. The product originated from a not-very-sticky-glue developed by a scientist in 1968, and it wasn't until later that another employee discovered a useful application for the substance. USA TODAY (1/30)  | Costs are rising in China and Japan, prompting high-tech firms across Asia to consider new sourcing locations so they can remain efficient, while focusing more on service. What will be the impact of this behavioral shift? Learn about the findings in this free white paper. |
 | Policy & Government Affairs | | | | - U.S. retailers expect surge with new visa program
President Barack Obama signed an order earlier this month that gives federal agencies 60 days to devise a plan to speed the visa process for citizens of China and Brazil. Bloomingdale's CEO Michael Gould says the move would give U.S. retailers an "immediate surge" in new sales to Brazilian and Chinese tourists. The new policy has the potential to add $850 billion to the U.S. economy by 2020, NRF says. Bloomberg (1/31)
| NRF News | | | | - NRF's 101st Annual Convention draws record 25,500 attendees
Breaking all previous attendance records for Retail's BIG Show, NRF's 101st Annual Convention and EXPO, held in mid-January in New York City, welcomed 25,500 attendees from around the world, up from the 22,500 attendees last year. "The phrase 'jaw-dropping' best summarizes the overall theme of NRF's 2012 Annual Convention, and there was a buzz in the air like never before," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "From President Bill Clinton's inspirational keynote to the jam-packed EXPO hall full of the latest retail technologies, every aspect of the event was bigger and better this year." Read more. - NRF releases 2011 Annual Report
View a snapshot of NRF's successes within and on behalf of the retail industry by downloading a free copy of NRF's just-released Annual Report. The 2011 edition covers NRF's unprecedented Retail Means Jobs campaign, the industry's impact on Capitol Hill and thought leadership in national and international media, as well as a glimpse into all 2011 events, such as Retail's BIG Show, the Shop.org Summit and NRF's Loss Prevention Conference. Download the report.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Wendy's CEO details course-correction plans
Wendy's strayed from its mission of providing more sophisticated quickservice meals in recent years, and now it's on a mission to "correct self-inflicted wounds," CEO Emil Brolick said at the chain's annual Investor Day event Monday. Restaurant and menu upgrades and a focus on hiring top-tier employees will be aimed at improving all stores and bringing back business that has been lost to fast-casual chains, he said. Investor's Business Daily/The Associated Press (1/30), BurgerBusiness.com (1/30) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Divisional Merchandise Manager | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Marketing Manager | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Footwear Buyer | Big 5 Sporting Goods | El Segundo, CA | | Merchandising Director | Stein Mart | New York, NY | | Retail Analytics Specialist | QuantiSense | Atlanta, GA | | Corporate Retail Visual Presentation Manager | Soft Surroundings | St. Louis, MO | | VP, Division Planning Manager | The Bon Ton Stores, Inc. | Milwaukee, WI | | Database Marketing Manager | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | AVP - Product Development | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Inventory Manager - Accessories | Hanna Andersson, LLC | Portland, OR | | Retail Allocation Planner | Hanna Andersson, LLC | Portland, OR | | Planogram Specialist | Headquarters Marine Corps, Semper Fit and Exchange Services | Quantico, VA | | Merchandise Replenishmnet Analyst | Headquarters Marine Corps, Semper Fit & Exchange Services | Quantico, VA | | Buyer | Jeans Warehouse | Los Angeles, CA | | Merchandise Planner | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | VP Customer Strategy | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Merchandise Planner-Designer Shoes | Saks Fifth Avenue | New York , NY | | Divisional Planner | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Senior Marketing Strategy & Loyalty Consultant | Alliance Data | Columbus, OH | | Buyer | Bed, Bath & Beyond | Union, NJ | | Assistant (Associate) Buyers - Brick & Mortar and Ecommerce | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | Merchandise Manager - Housewares | Pier 1 Imports | Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX | | Regional Manager (West) | Perry Ellis International | Dallas, TX | | Software Developer | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | DVP Spirit Halloween Marketing, Licensing & Creative Services | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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- Thursday, January 26, 2012
- Wednesday, January 25, 2012
- Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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More than 5 million Americans plan to purchase a new television ahead of the Super Bowl. Source: 
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