 | February 15, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
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 - Neiman Marcus aims to broaden its appeal
Neiman Marcus buyers are keeping an eye out at New York Fashion Week shows for styles that are more accessible, financially and style-wise, than the high-end apparel for which the department store is known. The move is part of an effort to become more inclusive as the chain works to fully recover from a recession that cost it about $1 billion in annual sales. "We recognize that there's a customer we want to appeal to that might not be at the top echelon of what we offer," said fashion director Ken Downing. The Wall Street Journal (2/15)       - Kmart takes center stage in Spanish-language game show
Spanish-language network Univision debuted a game show Saturday that takes place in a replica of a Kmart store. The show, whose name in English translates to "Sweep It All with Kmart," features contestants vying for challenges that showcase Selena Gomez-branded apparel and other product lines aimed at the Hispanic market. "We're trying to find ways to bring Kmart's value proposition to this market and to go beyond traditional media," said Kmart CMO Mark Snyder. Crain's Chicago Business/Advertising Age (2/14) - The Container Store celebrates love among the staff
The Container Store showed the love to employees on Valentine's Day and highlighted the dozens of successful matches made among staffers who met on the job. CEO Kip Tindell, whose wife, Sharon, is the chain's merchandising chief, created National We Love Our Employees Day in part to spotlight how a loving atmosphere can keep workers happy -- the chain boasts a turnover rate of less than 10%. WalletPop (2/14)  | RSR Ecommerce Benchmark Survey 2011 - Learn how winning retailers connect with the new online consumer - comparing prices, coupon searching, going social and mobile. Three major trends emerged from this research. Learn these trends, their implications, and RSR recommendations as to how they should impact your 2011 investment plans. Learn more | - More celebrities lend their names to exclusive lines
Large retail chains are increasingly signing exclusive deals with fashion designers and celebrities including Martha Stewart for Home Depot, Rachel Bilson for Macy's and Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's. The moves serve to differentiate the chains from rivals and boost profits by avoiding aggressive price slashing, but the proliferation of celebrity lines can create confusion among consumers, and chains take risks when they tie their names to celebrities whose popularity can wane or be tarnished by scandal. The New York Times (free registration) (2/14) - Retailers set to raise apparel prices this spring
Retailers and apparel manufacturers are poised to raise clothing prices about 10% this spring, reflecting the skyrocketing cost of cotton as well as cost increases for synthetic fabrics as demand for cotton alternatives rises, said Burt Flickinger III, president of Strategic Resource Group. "We have been so used to deflation for years and years," said David Bassuk of AlixPartners. "Customers are going to be surprised." The Washington Times/The Associated Press (2/14) - Malls may be "cool" again
A fresh lineup of mall retailers such as Vera Bradley, Sephora and even Target attracted larger crowds to malls, and the anchor department stores there benefited from the increased traffic. In 2010, market share of mall-bound department stores crept up to 2.5%, from 2.4% in 2009. "Even though it was only a tenth of a share point, for department stores, that is a huge change," said Craig Johnson, president of Consumer Growth Partners. CNNMoney.com/Fortune (2/14)  - Stop & Shop store generates its electricity
A Stop & Shop Supermarket store in Torrington, Conn., installed a fuel cell that is expected to generate 90% of the store's electricity and cut utility bills by about 50%. "The fuel cell technology is the latest step we've taken to ensure we're doing everything we can to lower our impact to the environment in each community we serve," said a company executive. The Boston Globe/Business Updates blog (free registration) (2/11)  | Changing Dynamics of Consumerism
When asked to consider their top strategic priorities retailers chose customer satisfaction and retention as the top overall corporate priority. Retailers must focus on maximizing opportunities, shaping customer demands and anticipate their needs inside the store. Learn more about shaping your store in this free e-book. |
 | Policy & Government Affairs |  | | | - House committee considers repeal of 1099 rule
A House committee held hearings last week on a bill that would repeal an IRS reporting requirement passed as part of last year's health care bill. Maryland jeweler Seth Shipley represented NRF at the hearing, saying the requirement to file a 1099 form for each transaction that tops $600 would add about 560 hours of paperwork to his job each year. Accounting Today (2/14)
| NRF News | | | | - January marks 7th consecutive month of retail sales gains
Stronger discretionary spending helped boost retail sales as January marked the seventh straight month of gains. According to NRF, January retail industry sales increased 0.2% seasonally adjusted from December and 3.5% unadjusted year-over-year. NRF's chief economist noted stock market gains, tax cuts, income growth and savings likely contributed to the recent spur in consumer spending. Read more. - NRF SmartStat: Feb. 15, 2011
 Nearly 80% of retailers ranked driving up customer loyalty as their top strategic objective for 2011, compared with only 65% last year. Source: Retail Horizons 2011 - Retail container traffic predicted to be up 6% in first half of 2011
Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports is expected to be up 11% in February and 6% for the first half of 2011. "Strong growth in 2010 has retailers cautiously optimistic that the economic recovery is finally taking hold," NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Landry's buys Trump casino to create East Coast Golden Nugget
Landry's Restaurants will pay about $40 million to acquire the Trump Marina and Hotel in Atlantic City and another $150 million to renovate the property, CEO Tilman Fertitta said Monday. The newly renamed Golden Nugget will reopen in the fall with five Landry's restaurant concepts including Chart House, Grotto and Vic & Anthony's. Landry's already owns and operates the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Houston Chronicle (2/14)  | |  | | | | |  |  Merchandise Planning and Inventory Management Senior Manager | Kurt Salmon | Multiple Locations, United States | | Product Development and Sourcing Senior Manager | Kurt Salmon | Multiple Locations, United States | | Vice President - Divisional Merchandise Manager | The Vitamin Shoppe | North Bergen, NJ | | Senior Vice President, Communities & Networks and Executive Director, Shop.org | National Retail Federation | Washington, DC | | District Sales Manager- Texas & Oklahoma Market | Lakeshore Learning Materials | Houston, TX | | Director of Merchandising | Lakeshore Learning Materials | Carson, CA | | Buyer (Consumer Electronics) | Purchasing Power | atlanta, GA | | Women's Buyer/Category Manager | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Project Manager, Multi-Channel POS | Sports Authority | Englewood, CO | | Vice President, Sterling | Sterling Shoes Inc. | VANCOUVER, Canada | | VP of Marketing | Teavana | Atlanta - Buckhead, GA | | Lead Analyst, Paid Search | Target Corporation | Minneapolis, MN | | Senior Manager, Site Planning | Target Corporation | Minneapolis, MN | | | |  | |  |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform."
--Susan B. Anthony,
American women's rights activist,
quoted for her birthday, Feb. 15, 1820  |
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