| July 31, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
 | For years, companies have sought to connect the dots between social media marketing and real return-on-investment (ROI), with increased sales being the holy grail. This report shows you how some of today's biggest companies are accomplishing this. Download report |
 - 7 retailers that are rethinking store size
Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Office Depot, Target and Wal-Mart are among retailers that are scaling down their store sizes or introducing store-within-a-store concepts. One-size-fits-all strategies increasingly less popular as companies analyze customer needs in different locations and tailor store size to address the varying venue demands. Time.com (7/27)       | Could you get more ROI from CRM?
It's no secret that closer customer relationships generate more sales. But if you haven't introduced your associates to the power of advanced clienteling, you haven't even begun to realize your full profit potential! Learn how with our in-depth White Paper: Five Steps to a Better Class of Clienteling. Download your copy now! |
 - Why retail is a hot market for MBAs
MBA graduates' skill sets are a natural fit for retail, and they're starting to seek jobs in the industry, writes Matt Symonds. "My MBA propelled me to have the career that I have. The focus on team-based learning through rigorous case study was very helpful for being both entrepreneurial and pragmatic. I still draw on that muscle memory," said Urban Outfitters Executive Director Matt Kaness. Bloomberg Businessweek (7/30) - Retailers add clinics as health care law is phased in
CVS Caremark, Target and other retailers are adding in-store clinics, anticipating greater demand as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act exacerbates a doctor shortage. "People could have long wait times to see a doctor as the federal law gets implemented in 2014, and that will drive more interest in these retail clinics," said Ateev Mehrotra, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh and nonprofit think tank Rand. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (7/30) - How companies are cooking up social innovation
Frito-Lay is using a Facebook app to develop ideas for new potato-chip flavors. Users are asked to submit flavor suggestions and click an "I'd eat that" button to register support for other users' proposed flavors. Similarly, Wal-Mart used Twitter to determine interest in lollipop-shaped cake makers. "It tells us exactly what customers are interested in," said Gilt Groupe CMO Elizabeth Francis. "It's amazing that we can get that kind of real feedback, as opposed to speculating." The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (7/30)  | Experian has joined forces with Moody's Analytics to create a business index and detailed report that provides insight into the health of U.S. businesses. The new Experian/Moody's Analytics Small Business Credit Index is reported quarterly to show fluctuations in the market and discuss factors that are impacting the business economy. Download the free report now! |
 - Retailers use customer reviews for quality control
L.L. Bean, Wal-Mart Stores and Amazon use real-time feedback, in the form of consumer reviews, to monitor products. Wal-Mart and L.L. Bean reported removing products that are poorly reviewed until problems are fixed. However, the struggle lies in whether to rebrand the revamped product; renaming might mislead customers, but using the old name means facing outdated negative reviews. The Wall Street Journal (7/29)  | We're Not Just Bankers, We're Builders
GE Capital offers businesses and consumers around the globe an array of financial products and services, helping to build businesses through capital, insight, knowledge and expertise. We're not just bankers, we're builders. Visit GE Capital. |
 
| NRF News |  |  | | - What you need to know now about health care requirements
Last month the Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, including the individual mandate. And with that historic decision comes nuances that, once the law is fully enacted, could leave retailers penalized for noncompliance. From the definition and coverage requirements for a full-time employee to the challenges and concerns for large and small employers, NRF’s health care resource center has all the issues covered to prepare businesses to meet the full letter of the law. Learn more. - How Kate Spade New York merges content and commerce
The digital space provides retailers an avenue for not only more sales, but to tell a company's brand story across multiple channels. At Shop.org's Online Merchandising Workshop earlier this month, two of Kate Spade New York's leading e-commerce executives described how they utilized an integrated campaign to appeal to a younger demographic to boost engagement and revenue, and the internal success of their marketing and e-commerce teams uniting for this common goal. Read more. Shop.org Blog (7/27)
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Dunkin' Brands shows strong second quarter performance
Dunkin' Brands boasted an impressive 8% jump in profits in its second quarter results as well as 6.9% systemwide sales growth owing to the popularity of Dunkin' Donuts' new menu offerings such as its breakfast sandwiches and limited-time K-Cup mocha. The growing popularity of Baskin-Robbins ice cream in China, South Korea and the Middle East helped drive growth in those stores. The company went public one year ago. QSRWeb.com (7/27) | Editor's Note | | | | - SmartBrief exclusive from Guy Kawasaki
NRF SmartBrief is proud to share an exclusive chapter from best-selling author Guy Kawasaki's new book, "What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us." In return for updating your SmartBrief profile, we will give you Chapter 6 of Kawasaki's book on Google+ -– "How To Share Posts" -– absolutely free. Learn more here. | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Divisional Merchandising Manager, Men's | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Retail Sales Support Sr. Manager (req.#4243BR) | Cabela's | Sidney, NE | | Director of Planning | Hot Topic, Inc | City of Industry, CA | | Vice President and GM of Retail | Rockler Companies, Inc. | Medina, MN | | Vice President - Tax | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Director of Compensation | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | VP Customer Strategy | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Director - Financial Planning & Analysis (Real Estate) | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Sr. Buyer | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Marketing Manager | Sleep Experts | Dallas, TX | | Specialty Shop Planner - Action Sports | REI | Kent, WA | | Experienced Retail Managers | Total Wine & More | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | | Sr. ETL Developer | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Selling Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Sarasota, FL | | Operations Manager - Distribution Center - Weekend Shift | Saks Fifth Avenue | La Vergne, TN | | Cosmetics Selling Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Short Hills, NJ | | Inventory Analyst | REI | Kent, WA | | Buyer | Payless ShoeSource | Topeka, KS | | Planner – Merchandise Distribution | Payless ShoeSource | Topeka, KS | | Merchandise Buyer - Multiple Categories | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee/Menomonee Falls, WI | | Cosmetics Buyer (Experience Required) | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | Director of Visual Merchandise | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Fashion Buyer | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Merchandise Planner (various categories) | Kohl's Department Stores | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Target.com Merchandising Buyer | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be either good or evil."
--Hannah Arendt,
German-American political theorist  |
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- Thursday, July 26, 2012
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- Tuesday, July 24, 2012
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More than two-thirds of shoppers will visit a department store for back-to-school items this year, the highest in the survey's history. Source: 
