 | December 14, 2010 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Macy's, Saks and Bloomingdale's draw crowds with holiday displays
Decked-out New York City department store windows provide a boost of holiday cheer during the season's economic uncertainty, with Macy's, Saks and Bloomingdale's drawing the largest crowds. At Macy's flagship, onlookers catch glimpses of scenes from "Miracle on 34th Street" on moving sets made of laser- and hand-cut paper, a project that took more than 7,000 hours of work by 14 paper artists. Boston Herald/The Associated Press (12/13)       - Shoppers plan to widen their gift-giving circles
About one-third of consumers plan to buy gifts for more people this year than they did last year, a shift that reflects renewed optimism and an increased willingness to spend, according to a survey. Colder weather during the weekend may have spurred some people to buy winter apparel for family members who typically aren't on their lists. Reuters (12/13)  | Residents of Top Rung neighborhoods are always in style, preferring to shop at retailers such as Nordstrom and Macy's. They also shop online and are avid readers. How can you find this type of customer? Esri Business Analyst Online enables you to identify your best customers and find more like them. Check out the free Esri ZIP Code Lookup tool. | - November retail sales growth exceeded economists' expectations
Retail sales rose by 0.8% in November as consumers flocked to stores and e-commerce sites to start their holiday shopping, according to a Commerce Department report released Tuesday morning. Apparel sales rose the most, followed by sporting goods, hobby items, books and music. Mail-order and Internet sales rose 2.1%, the report said. The Wall Street Journal (12/14) - Target adds social worker to the staff at California store
At the Target store in Compton, Calif., social worker Saundra Edwards walks the floor and talks with staffers to help them deal with such personal problems as depression, finances and family illnesses. Target created the position shortly after opening the store in the urban neighborhood known for crime and gang violence, in response to high turnover and absenteeism. Los Angeles Times (12/12) - Wal-Mart poll: New York's businesses are welcoming
A majority of New York's small businesses want Wal-Mart to open stores there, according to a poll released by the retailer. Commercial and service businesses were the most receptive, while small retailers were least likely to roll out the welcome mat for Wal-Mart, which commissioned Democratic pollster Doug Schoen to do the survey. Crain's New York Business (12/13) - A&P bankruptcy reorganization could provide opportunities
A&P's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing could give the company the chance it needs to get out from under crushing debt and rid itself of underperforming stores, leaving it free to focus on building business at successful stores in highly populated Northeast markets, analysts say. Closing 100 or more more stores is likely to provide real estate opportunities for A&P's competitors, including Stop & Shop parent Royal Ahold and Food Lion owner Delhaize Group. ABC News/The Associated Press (12/13) , Yahoo!/Reuters (12/13)  | Contribute your spark to our success.
Your personality. Your talents. You have the spark that makes us Walmart. What does that mean for you? It's the opportunity to make a difference in our company and in the lives of our customers. At Walmart, we save people money, so they can live better. We do this by relying on and supporting the people who make us shine bright each day — you. Join Walmart today! | - Textile makers seek cotton alternatives
Cotton prices have hit new highs this year, spurring textile engineers to explore alternative fibers. Naturally Advanced Technologies has engineered a fabric made from flax that it says feels just like cotton, and Design Futurist's Natalia Allen and Stephen Miller are working to perfect a fabric made from PHFA polymer, originally created to replace PET plastic in water bottles. Fast Company (12/2010) - International visitors shop till they drop in New York, L.A.
Visitors from emerging tourist markets are spending big on shopping sprees in New York and Los Angeles, according to a recent survey of more than 2,500 foreign visitors. Shoppers from China, Brazil, India, Australia and Korea spend an average of $3,517 per U.S. trip, with almost a third of their budgets going for shopping. Los Angeles Times (12/13)  | |  | | | Multichannel Retailing 2010: Facts, Issues, and Opportunities for Growth.
Most retailers operate with a combination of stores, websites and other channels. But what is really being achieved with the extension of multichannel retailing, and which challenges and opportunities do you need to address now to stay competitive in 2011? Find out with this free, in-depth market research. | |  |  |  |
- EBay sets a "Mobile Sunday" sales record
Sunday was eBay's biggest mobile-shopping day ever. Smartphone users worldwide spent $13 million, a 165% increase over the comparable Sunday last year. Clothing and accessories, followed by cars and trucks, were the most popular items for mobile buyers. TechCrunch (12/13)  | Do People Trust Your Brand?
Business-to-Business companies increasingly recognize how critical building trusted online relationships has become to their financial success. Download this white paper to learn how companies can align trust, credibility, and privacy processes within their organizations to grow revenues and mitigate risk. |
 - Why customer service is crucial to your marketing mix
Advertising no longer controls the public conversation about your brand, according to Barry Moltz. Instead, customers are sharing their experiences via social media, influencing prospective buyers as they decide whether to do business with you. That makes customer service at least as important as traditional marketing techniques, Moltz says. It's crucial that business owners take part in the online conversation to help address the concerns of customers who may be less than 100% satisfied. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Social Media (12/13) | Policy & Government Affairs |  | | | - San Jose city council to vote on plastic bag ban
The city council in San Jose, Calif., will vote today on a measure that would ban disposable plastic grocery bags and require retailers to start charging for paper sacks, to encourage consumers to adopt the reusable-bag habit. Critics from the American Chemistry Council hope to defeat the measure, saying the council should focus more on encouraging bag recycling rather than banning them outright. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.) (free registration) (12/13)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
In "How The Vitamin Shoppe Answered the Inventory Question," Tony Truesdale (President & Chief Merchant) and Jason Scheffer (Director of Inventory) discuss how the company quickly raised turn & in-stocks while also reducing working capital needs prior to The Vitamin Shoppe's successful IPO in October '09 — the first retailer to do so in almost two years.
Interested in learning more about advertising in NRF SmartBrief? Contact Susan W. Kim at (202) 407-7877 or skim@smartbrief.com.  | |  | |  |
| NRF News | | | | - NRF revises holiday forecast to 3.3%
Economic indicators such as strong November retail sales, stock market gains and recent income growth led to an increased holiday sales forecast from NRF. "The start to the holiday season has surpassed all expectations," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "While employment data is still a concern, we are starting to see improvement in other economic indicators that support an increase to our forecast." Read more. - Court ruling could prove fatal to health-care law
Section 1501, or the individual mandate section, of the nation's new health-care law has been ruled unconstitutional in a ruling Monday by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. In a blog post, NRF's Neil Trautwein shares what this court ruling means for the future of health-care policy. Trautwein explains: "If upheld through the appellate process -- likely eventually to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court -- this decision could prove fatal to PPACA." Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | | Career Track | | | |
 | |  | | | | |  |  Executive Vice President, Merchandising & Marketing | Total Wine & More | Potomac, MD | | Director of eCommerce | Spencer Gifts/Spirit Halloween/ToyZam! | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Director, Guest Services | Spencer Gifts/Spirit Halloween/ToyZam! | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Director of Marketing and Licensing | Spencer Gifts/Spirit Halloween/Toyzam! | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Vice President of Strategic Planning | Rent-A-Center | Plano, TX | | Buyer - Ladies Apparel - Special Sizes | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Senior Software Engineer | Bass Pro Shops | Springfield, MO | | Store Technology Leader | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Regional Manager Development Program | Follett Higher Education Group | Multiple Locations, United States | | Retail Construction Project Manager | Teavana | Atlanta, GA | | Planogram Specialist (Temporary not to exceed 2 Years) | Headquarters Marine Corps/ Marine Corps Exchange | Quantico, VA | | Assistant Category Manager - Reader's Market | Sears | Hoffman Estates, IL | | Business Process Analyst | QVC | West Chester, PA | | Legal Counsel | Kohl's | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Branch Head/Field Operations (Marine Corps Exchanges) | Headquarters/MCCS | Quantico Marine Corps Base, VA | | | |  | |  |
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Two-thirds of holiday shoppers (66.3%) did not return a single gift last holiday season. Source: 
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