 | April 15, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Office Depot aims to right-size with smaller stores, better service
Office Depot has been losing retail office-supply customers to a growing group of competitors that includes specialty stores Staples and OfficeMax as well as big-box discounters including Wal-Mart and Costco. The chain plans to turn things around with smaller stores that stock top-selling items and focus on technology, along with an increased focus on customer service, where flaws came to light when retail division chief Kevin Peters shopped the stores incognito last year. "The experience was disappointing," he said. Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (4/11)       - 77kids kids caters to next generation of American Eagle shoppers
American Eagle plans to have 21 77kids stores open by the end of the year. The concept aims to appeal to the younger siblings of American Eagle shoppers, from newborns to pre-teens, as well as the parents who continued to spend on them even during the downturn. "We really focus on the mom and the kid. The mom wants the kid to look cool, the mom wants value, and the mom wants a shopping experience," said 77kids chief marketing officer Betsy Schumacher. The Detroit News (4/14) - Eddie Bauer mines rich history for new branding plan
Eddie Bauer aims to move into the future with branding that borrows liberally from its rich past as a pioneering seller of outdoor gear. The company, which invented the down jacket and patented the first badminton shuttlecock, has opened nine stores so far with a new format that creates a distinction between its cold-weather mountaineering apparel and gear and other outdoor pursuits, and feature big-screen videos of recent Eddie Bauer expeditions around the globe. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (4/14) - Japanese shoppers turn to Costco for necessities
Eight of Costco's nine warehouse stores in Japan are up and running, and the company is hustling daily to keep shelves stocked with bottled water, toilet paper and other necessities as consumers stock up on emergency supplies. About 1,200 additional container shipments are just beginning to arrive from Los Angeles and other ports, and Costco re-routed some earlier deliveries through Taiwan and South Korea after many Tokyo barges were diverted into relief efforts. The chain also says it will postpone opening two new stores because of delays in obtaining fixtures and equipment. The Seattle Times (4/14)  | 8 of the world's top 10 brands build their business on Facebook with the Buddy Media Platform. What's your plan? Power Tools for Facebook. Register for demo |
 - Tragedies provide grim reminders for stepped-up retail security
A recent spate of shooting deaths has retailers working on increased security and disaster planning and struggling to craft increased security measures that don't unduly alarm their customers. NRF has created a free online training session for employees that's based on Department of Homeland Security guidelines and will host a meeting next week to explore the issue further with retailers and members of law enforcement. USA TODAY (4/15) - Men's boutiques mix clothing and cocktails
A number of men's clothing boutiques in the Lower Manhattan neighborhoods of New York City have quietly added alcoholic enticements from microbrews to martinis to bring more shoppers in the door. The shops depend on customers to spread the word, and some have seen shopping pick up in the early evening as consumers trade in pre-dinner bar trips for cocktails at Eric Goldstein's Jean Shop on West Broadway or Onassis Clothing on Greene Street. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/13) - Off-price merchants scramble for dwindling supply as demand grows
Budget-conscious U.S. consumers spent $18 billion on off-price apparel last year, a 1.5% increase over 2009, according to NPD Group figures. The manufacturers' overstocks that typically sell for between 20% and 70% of their original retail price now comprise 9% of overall apparel sales. Meanwhile, retailers looking to curb rampant markdowns during the recession slashed inventories, which has put a serious damper on supply and sent off-price retailers scrambling for new product sources. ApparelNews.net (4/15)  | Akamai - The Right Partner with the Right Solution
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 | Retail Technology |  | | | - Kiosks are now a multibillion-dollar retail niche
Kiosks in retail centers are a growing revenue source for retail managers -- and a growing source of competition for retail stores inside the shopping centers. Kiosks have morphed into a $12 billion specialty retail industry since their launch in 1976, according to Poornima Apte, editor in chief of Specialty Retail Report. They are appealing to entrepreneurs because they provide a low-cost way to test new retail concepts. NorthJersey.com (Hackensack, N.J.)/The Record (free registration) (4/13)  | Business Gold Rewards Card®
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| NRF News | | | | - Just announced! Loss Prevention networking reception to be held at Dallas Cowboys Stadium
Football may be in its off-season, but retail executives can still storm the field at this year's Loss Prevention Conference & EXPO in Dallas. NRF has confirmed that the Tuesday night networking reception and dinner of this year's LP conference will be held at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. At the event, meet the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, have your photo taken on the 50-yard line, and see yourself on the world's biggest JumboTron as you enter the field from the player's tunnel. Join more than 2,600 LP professionals for unparalleled education by day and the experience of a lifetime at night. Learn more. - NRF SmartStat: April 15, 2011
 Ten people have been shot to death at retail stores around the world in the last week. Source: NRF Active Shooter Guidelines.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - How Applebee's new strategy steered it through the recession
 Applebee's was already shifting gears as part of new parent DineEquity when the recession hit, spurring the casual chain's management to revamp its strategy in a way that sought input from everyone involved rather than forcing staff and franchisees to adhere to a rigid corporate hierarchy. Created with help from Sibson Consulting, the chain's successful strategy included giving leaders at all level the freedom to innovate. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Restaurants (4/14)  | |  | | | | | | Flagship Store Manager | MacKenzie-Childs | New York, NY | | Assistant Buyer | Headquarters Marine Corps/MWR & Business Operations | Quantico, VA | | Business Analyst-Merchandising | Headquarters Marine Corps/MWR & Business Operations | Quantico, VA | | Fixtures & Equipment Project Manager | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Sr. Manager Recruiting | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Director of Store Operations | Five Below, Inc. | Philadelphia, PA | | Director of Customer Loyalty | Aeropostale | New York, NY | | Senior Marketing Manager | Stage Stores, Inc. | Houston, TX | | Energy Manager | Tractor Supply Company | Brentwood, TN | | Divisional Merchandise Manager- 2 positions available/Softlines and Consumables | Headquarters Marine Corps, MWR & Business Operations | Quantico, VA | | Learning Solutions Manager - Southeast Region | Petsmart, Inc | Multiple Locations, United States | | Learning Solutions Manager - Northeast Region | Petsmart, Inc | Multiple Locations, United States | | Retail Store Manager | Kitty Hawk Kites/Kitty Hawk Surf Company | Rodanthe, NC | | Inventory Manager | Tractor Supply Company | Brentwood, TN | | Marketing Manager Coupon Team | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Senior Manager, Site Planning | Target | 55402, MN | | Business Process Consultant Target.com | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Director of Campaign Analysis | Chico's FAS, Inc. | Fort Myers, FL | | | |  | |  |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | A tax loophole is something that benefits the other guy. If it benefits you, it is tax reform."
--Russell B. Long,
U.S. senator  |
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- Tuesday, April 12, 2011
- Monday, April 11, 2011
- Friday, April 08, 2011
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