| December 6, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- U.S. consumers splurge on holiday decorations
Consumers may be concerned about their employment and financial prospects, but they're not stinting when it comes to spending on lights, tinsel and inflatable Santas this year. U.S. consumers will spend $6 billion on holiday decorations this year, more than they've spent in at least seven years, according to NRF data. Bloomberg Businessweek (12/6)       | Want to be a hero to your customers and avoid chaos in your stores? BearCom and Motorola, your wireless communications specialists for the retail industry, can help. Watch how our hero Wireless Woman swoops in and saves the day at the Pampered Pets store with the uber-cool Motorola CLS two-way radio from BearCom! | - Talbots CEO announces plans to retire
Talbots chief executive officer Trudy F. Sullivan will retire when the board names a successor, the company said Monday. Sullivan, who served as president of Liz Claiborne before taking Talbots' CEO post four years ago, has overseen a turnaround effort that included freshening the chain's merchandise mix to appeal to younger shoppers and closing underperforming stores. The Wall Street Journal (12/6) - Bloomingdale's to expand outlets next year
Bloomingdale's was relatively late to the outlet store game, following concepts from Saks, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus with seven outlet stores that opened last year. The Macy's-owned chain plans to expand its outlet presence next year, and aims to benefit from its late start, says senior vice president Arnold Orlick. "Because we are late to the game, we are less likely to make mistakes." Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (12/5) - Esprit CFO to step down in June
Esprit Holdings Chief Financial Officer Chew Fook Aun will resign from his post with the Hong Kong-based fashion retailer on June 1. A strategic overhaul of the company requires the CFO to do extensive traveling to Europe, which Aun is unable to do for personal reasons, the company said. The Wall Street Journal (12/5)  | The Sports Authority Scores Big with
Supply Chain Transformation
Realizing the ongoing need to jump higher and run faster for its customers, Sports Authority developed a game plan designed to up its supply chain game. Register for this free webinar to learn how the retailer transformed its supply chain strategy, team and processes in just 15 months. | - Report: Dollar stores outnumber drugstores
The four major dollar store chains -- Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only -- now operate 21,500 U.S. locations, a combined total that surpasses the number of stores operated by the three largest drugstore chains, according to Colliers International. Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid operate a combined 19,700 U.S. stores. MainStreet.com (12/5) - Footwear merchants mixed on prospects for fall
Footwear buyers got their first look at fall 2012 fashions at an industry event this week. Some said they will take more chances on new brands, while others say they plan to be more cautious as they watch to see how the European debt crisis and tight credit markets affect the industry. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (12/5)  | COMING SOON: The most valuable e-commerce conference of 2012, ChannelAdvisor Catalyst. Everyone who's anyone in e-commerce will be there. Follow @channeladvisor to find out the Where (hint: not NC) and When for Catalyst 2012 |
  | 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. |
 - SBA program assists small businesses with debt refinancing
The Small Business Administration is offering a program to help small companies with debt refinancing. But many states have not made much use of the 504 Loan Refinancing Program, which is scheduled to end in September. Still, the initiative "will certainly help a fair amount of small business owners out there to tap that embedded equity and use it for purposes that the business needs right now," said Chris Hurn of Mercantile Capital. Inc.com (12/5) 
| NRF News |  |  | | - How The Sports Authority changed the supply chain game
In just 15 months, The Sports Authority has completely transformed its supply chain strategy, team and process to increase efficiency. In a Dec. 8 STORES Knowledge Series webinar, Tony Forde, Sports Authority's senior vice president of supply chain, and Wayne Usie, JDA Software's senior vice president of retail strategy, will share the secrets to Sports Authority's new world of supply chain capabilities. Learn more. - NRF SVP goes mobile while he holiday shops in store
From Brookstone to Godiva, retail companies know mobile is the way of the future. NRF Senior Vice President Mike Gatti and CBS reporter Lesli Foster shopped together in Pentagon City Mall to test the theory that mobile commerce tactics played a major role in this year's holiday marketing strategy. In a recent TV segment, Mike and Lesli maneuver their way through myriad QR codes, e-gift cards and coupons. Watch the video. Retail's BIG Blog (12/5)
 | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - McDonald's asks fans for mini-movie ideas
McDonald's is turning to the crowd to come up with ideas for 10 mini movies set to launch next year along with the debut of its McBites chicken snacks. Makers of the top 10 30-second films will win $250 each, and the creator of the best video will get $15,000. Mashable (12/5) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Footwear Buyer | Forman Mills | Pennsauken, NJ | | Visual Merchandising Manager | Castle Megastore | Tempe, AZ | | DVP Spirit Halloween Marketing, Licensing & Creative Services | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | IS Director of Operations | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Software Applications Architect-Merch/Marketing | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Sales Associate - Contemporary, Women's Designer, Jewelry | Saks Fifth Avenue | Naples, FL | | Director, Marketing Analytics | Saks Fifth Avenue | New York, NY | | Coordinator, Communications and Public Affairs | National Retail Federation | Washington, DC | | Director of Learning and Development | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Director of Store Operations | Francesca's Collections | Houston, TX | | Assistant General Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Tulsa, OK | | Brand Ambassadors- Escada, Cartier and Burberry | Saks Fifth Avenue | Tulsa, TX | | Personal Shopper/Stylist - Saks "Fifth Avenue Club" Consultant | Saks Fifth Avenue | Sarasota, FL | | VP DMM Boys | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Alterations Associate | Saks Fifth Avenue | Miami , FL | | Paralegal III | The Clorox Company | Oakland, CA | | Buyer - Women's Accessories and Gifts | Pier 1 Imports | Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX | | Mens Buyer | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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The Huffington Post
Almost 30 million people shopped online and at stores on Thanksgiving Day this holiday season. Source: 
