Macy's tailors holiday ornaments to markets

Reading this on a mobile device? Try our optimized mobile version here: http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/ytlYdNdKdIddgFlYfDajaIcOgdaq

September 28, 2010 News for the retail industry     Industry Watch    Toys R Us to double workforce for holidays Toys R Us plans to hire about 45,000 workers this holiday season, temporarily doubling its domestic workforce and holding out the possibility that some high-performing seasonal staffers could be asked to stay on after the holidays. The retailer plans to open 600 branded pop-up stores and 10 temporary FAO Schwarz locations this season. Los Angeles Times (9/28) Macy's tailors holiday ornaments to markets Macy's is launching 2,200 different ornaments this holiday season, tailoring the selection to individual markets as part of the chain's "My Macy's" merchandising strategy. That means Elvis ornaments in Tennessee and tree trinkets with a Blackhawks theme in Illinois. Bloomberg (9/27) NFL caters new merchandise to fashion-conscious female fans The National Football League launched a $10 million marketing effort this week aimed at pushing new, fashion-forward products to female fans. New products including jeans, flip-flops and yoga mats offer women a way to display their team colors without wearing the same jersey that everyone else is sporting. Google/The Associated Press (9/27) Bankruptcy court approves Blockbuster plan to pay studios Blockbuster will be able to pay up to $40.4 million to movie studios to ensure a steady supply of movies, under contracts signed before the chain filed for Chapter 11 last week, a bankruptcy court judge ruled Monday. The judge also approved the chain's request to borrow an additional $25 million of its $125 million loan. Bloomberg (9/27) Retail clothing store opportunities are leaking out of ZIP Code 92704. Do you know what's happening in your market? Get a free ESRI Retail MarketPlace Profile report from Business Analyst Online to understand supply and demand, and review the number of businesses by industry sector such as clothing, shoes, furniture, electronics, and more.   Retail Trends    Wal-Mart, P&G sales reflect success of made-for-TV movie strategy Wal-Mart's movie-making partnership with Procter & Gamble is paying off in higher sales of products featured in the two made-for-TV movies to come out of the effort. NBC aired the movies, and one network exec says competitors with scarcer resources probably aren't a good fit for similar efforts. "It's an enormous undertaking that needs a tremendous amount of resources, and not everybody has those capabilities." Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (9/27)   The Total Economic Impact™ of Click to Call and Click to Chat Forrester Consulting interviewed six ATG Live Help customers and found that those who use Click to Call and Click to Chat on their website saw incremental revenue and recovered online sales that would have otherwise been abandoned. Read the complete Forrester Consulting study today and get real ROI numbers and payback timeframes (measured in days!)   ADVERTISEMENT   Retail Technology    Woot, an unlikely online success story Woot launched as the small effort by a Texas wholesaler looking to unload an overstock of T-shirts online and grew almost accidentally into the original daily deal site. The company has also gone back to its wholesaling roots recently with a side business supplying competitors with merchandise on slow deal days, writes blogger Margaret Case Little, who toured Woot's warehouse as part of this week's Shop.org Summit. Shop.org Blog (9/27)   Attend The True Cost of Retail Fraud Webinar: What an Exclusive Study Reveals for 2010 and learn what trends are setting the stage for retail fraud in the upcoming year, along with powerful solutions and benchmarking best practices that can be used by companies of any size. October 5 | 12 p.m. Eastern / 9 a.m. Pacific.   Main Street    Should you look toward overseas expansion? Small-business owners are exploring the idea of doing business overseas, which can help the right companies expand exponentially. But experts warn cultural differences, language nuances and product limits can stifle foreign expansion. "The learning curve has been expensive," said one small-business owner who starting shipping overseas in 2008. USA TODAY (9/27) , USA TODAY (9/26) How YouTube is changing the small-business model The success of Orabrush, a tongue-brushing device that has generated $1 million in sales after being the subject of a popular YouTube clip, is an example of how small businesses are leveraging the video site to get retailers' attention. Chief executive Jeff Davis, a former Procter & Gamble executive, described the process of the "reverse" of the traditional model of lining up retail channels first and then marketing to the public. "We basically launched the entire brand on YouTube and Facebook," he said. The New York Times (free registration) (9/26) Mobile technology can provide a platform for interactive real time workforce management. Equipped with mobile devices, managers and employees can communicate seamlessly to exchange information, staff shifts and ultimately improve the customer shopping experience. Download this complimentary article to get insight on the impact of mobile technology on workforce management.   Policy & Government Affairs  Obama signs bill to boost lending for small businesses President Barack Obama signed a bill Monday that will create a $30 billion fund aimed at making it easier for small businesses to obtain credit. The bill, called the Small Business Jobs Act, also includes billions in small-business tax cuts during the next 12 months. Portfolio.com (9/27) , Bloomberg Businessweek (9/28) , National Public Radio/The Associated Press (9/27)   Featured Content    Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 Does Little for Small Business Barbara Weltman 12 Ways Your Financial Statements Tell Lenders the Wrong Story Kate Lister 4 Ways Marketing Can Help You Get Paid Faster Rohit Bhargava Making Conservative Choices in Accounting Michael Periu How to Steer Clear of Trouble in Customs Tamara Warren   NRF News  Online retailers increasing efforts toward global expansion According to a new Shop.org report, conducted by Forrester Research, nearly three-quarters of retailers surveyed are already sending merchandise abroad from their home country's distribution center. The study also found that retailers in the U.S. who ship abroad report that approximately 5% of their revenue comes from foreign orders. "A small but savvy group of web retailers is recognizing the promising opportunity in international expansion," said Forrester's Sucharita Mulpulru. "If executed successfully, selling globally can generate a healthy double-digit percent of sales." Read more. NRF SmartStat: Sept. 28, 2010 On average, Halloween shoppers will spend $20.29 on candy. Source: NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch   The shopping experience your customers want How do you make sure customers choose you over your competitors? By providing superior customer services from product availability to loyalty programs to the fastest checkout. On Oct. 6, join executives from Motorola for a STORES Knowledge Series webinar and learn how to deliver the ultimate shopping experience: fast, informative and personal. Learn more. Learn more about NRF -> Join NRF  |  Govt Relations  |  NRF Events  |  STORES  |  NRF Foundation   Chain Restaurant News    McDonald's tries out larger snack wraps McDonald's is testing larger versions of some of its snack wraps in several downtown Chicago locations. The menu includes several varieties of the tortilla-wrapped chicken sandwiches, including Garden Ranch or Roma Pesta, with tomato pesto and garlic mayonnaise. ChicagoBreakingBusiness.com (9/27) Recruiters from Microsoft, Starbucks, Facebook & more Demystify the corporate recruitment process and find out what happens behind the scenes after you submit your resume. Top recruiters share tips & tools for getting your resume into the hands of hiring managers. This session and 12 more start on 10/26 during Career Summit 2010. Register today for 50% off!   Career Track  Zale Corporation Names Theo Killion Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board Mountain Hardwear Announces Appointment of Joe Flannery as Vice President of Global Marketing Human Resources Director, Merchant Development Wal-Mart Bentonville, AR Retail Solution/Application Consultant MicroStrategy Chicago, IL Director of Merchandising Total Wine & More Potomac, MD Controller Pacific Gateway Concessions South San Francisco, CA Web Analytics Manager Neiman Marcus Dallas, TX Inventory Accountant - Intermediate Follett Higher Education Group Oak Brook, IL Database Marketing Analyst CSN Stores, LLC Boston, MA Sales Forecast Manager Carolina Pad Charlotte, NC Head of eBusiness Operations Crate and Barrel Northbrook, IL Website Analyst Follett Higher Education Group Oak Brook, IL Manager, Strategic Retail Pricing CVS Caremark Woonsocket, RI Manager of Children's Product Development The TJX Companies, Inc. Framingham, MA Online Buyer - Home Electronics Sears Hoffman Estates, IL Analyst Oakley, Inc Foothill Ranch, CA eCommerce Web Buyer Belk Charlotte, NC Innovation Leader - Maximizer Hallmark Cards Kansas City, MO North America Retail Accounting Manager Nike, Inc. Portland, OR Category Manager CVS Caremark Woonsocket, RI Director of Strategic Pricing Guitar Center Westlake Village, CA Principal Business Consultant Oracle Corporation Atlanta, GA Retail Buyer University Co-operative Society, Inc Austin, TX VP of Business Systems & Process Implementation / Administration Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh, PA   SmartQuote  When the feeling's gone and you can't go on, it's a tragedy." --The Bee Gees, pop music group   This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com   Subscriber Tools       Update account information | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe | Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy   Advertise Senior Account Director:  Susan Kim (202) 407-7877 Download Media Kit Job Board: Lee Vanderwerff (202) 737-5500 ext. 248       Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: Monday, September 27, 2010 Friday, September 24, 2010 Thursday, September 23, 2010 Wednesday, September 22, 2010 Tuesday, September 21, 2010     Lead Editor:  Megan Conniff Contributing Editor:  Faye Rapoport     Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005     © 1999-2010 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information