  | June 22, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- American Eagle goes back to basics
American Eagle Outfitters may close up to 100 stores in the next two years and will refocus its merchandising efforts on basic pieces that hark back to the chain's original preppy style. A search is also under way to replace retiring CEO Jim O'Donnell, who announced his plans to leave in March. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (6/21)       - Walgreen, Express Scripts talks stall
Contract renewal talks between Walgreen and pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts have broken down and, unless they resume, customers may have to go to another pharmacy to have their prescriptions filled starting Jan. 1, the companies said Tuesday. Express Scripts customers represent about $5.3 billion in annual Walgreen's sales or 8% of its total. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (6/21)  | THE COMPLETE RETAIL TAGGING SOLUTION
Implement mobile printing capabilities that increase efficiency, accuracy and make customers happier. From the sales floor to the back of the store, see how advanced tagging solutions can boost your bottom line. Access our eBook now. |
 - Indie bookstores start selling tickets to book signings
Independent bookstores' ability to host book signings and author events give them an advantage over online rivals, but many say they often don't boost sales because customers attend for free and often either bring a copy of the book with them or go home and order it online. Now, a growing number of stores including Kepler's in Menlo Park, Calif., and The Boulder Book Store in Colorado have begun selling tickets or requiring attendees to purchase a copy of the book. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (6/21) - Alert employees are the top tool against organized retail crime
Shoplifters and organized retail thieves are adding increasingly sophisticated tools to their arsenals, including metal-lined bags and coats designed to evade sensors. About 95% of the nation's retailers have been victimized by retail thieves in the past three years, according to NRF figures, but experts say even small merchants can protect themselves with some common-sense merchandising strategies and employees who stay on the alert. Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (6/21)  | FedEx SmartPost Returns is an ideal way for businesses with over 100 daily returns to provide a convenient returns method for low-weight residential packages. It's a cost-effective, reliable solution that utilizes the strength of the FedEx® network and the U.S. Postal Service®. Learn more.
The U.S. Postal Service and USPS are registered trademarks of the United States Postal Service |
 - Bar codes become works of art
Some companies are creating packaging bar codes shaped as a bus, a city skyline and even a man's rotund midsection. "There are certain things you can change, certain things you can't, and then there is sort of a gray area," said Yael Miller, co-owner of Vanity Barcodes, which has designs including a hand mixer that appears to be blending numbers below. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (6/22)  | Help protect your employees by managing business travel risks with Zurich's white paper 'Managing the Risks of Business Travel: What every business needs to know'. Click here for the FREE download! |
 | Policy & Government Affairs |  |  | | |  | - Fed to vote next week on final debit-card fee plan
The Federal Reserve has scheduled a vote for next Wednesday on the final set of new rules to regulate debit-card swipe fees, which are set to go into effect on July 21. With strong support from retailers and opposition from the banking industry, the move to curb the amount banks charge on debit-card transactions has become one of the most hotly contested provisions of last year's Dodd-Frank financial overhaul bill. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (6/21) - Macy's CEO urges retailers to stay focused on making change
 NRF's successful effort to keep debit-card swipe-fee reform on track has sparked a renewed interest in working to align the interests of the retail industry and public policy, and members have a chance to further influence elected officials and help America's economy recover, Macy's CEO and NRF Chairman Terry Lundgren told members at NRF's legislative fly-in in Washington, D.C. NRF Blog (6/21)  | Beyond Mobile Ads: 3 Tips for Your Mobile Marketing Strategy
Learn how to use every mobile opportunity to your advantage.
This report shows you how to:
• Optimize your website for mobile devices
• Take advantage of mobile context
• Create richer mobile experiences by adding video and interactivity |
| NRF News | | | | - Former congressman discusses how to be heard on Capitol Hill
At NRF’s Washington Leadership Conference, former U.S. Rep. John Tanner gave attendees a crash course in effective lobbying. Among his advice when meeting with elected officials: show up on time, be grateful if even if you can only meet with a chief of staff or legislative assistant, and don’t forget to say thanks. Read more. - Survey shows organized retail criminals becoming more violent
Organized retail crime isn't only costly for businesses -- it's dangerous. The results of NRF's seventh annual Organized Retail Crime survey show that organized criminals are becoming more brazen, as almost 15% of apprehensions lead to some level of violence. Survey results also indicate a major increase in cargo theft and detail the top 10 U.S. cities for organized retail crime. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - How social media helped Hardee's recover from the storm
 When Hardee's used Twitter to make sure all its workers in Joplin, Mo., were safe and sound after a devastating tornado, the company was careful to balance outreach efforts with privacy concerns when using the public forum, says social media manager Jenna Petroff. "The difficulty in this situation is balancing the natural human need to reach out and say, 'Yes they’re fine. Call him at this number,' because you can’t do that." SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Restaurants (6/22) - Chains get serious about calorie cutting as new rules loom
Sticker shock after chains in California began posting calorie counts led a California Pizza Kitchen fan and a Red Robin regular to stop visiting, and concerns that others might follow suit when national posting rules are in place have some chains scrambling to cut calories. Real Mex Restaurants switched to lower-fat cheeses, cut back on oil, sauces and sour cream, and added half-orders of some dishes at its El Torito, Acapulco and Chevys restaurants. Los Angeles Times (6/22)  | |  | | | | |  |  New Account Sales Representative | One Step Retail Solutions | Nationwide, United States | | Store Operations Analyst | BevMo! | San Francisco Bay Area, CA | | VP of Operations | Sleep Experts | Carrollton, TX | | IS Manager Store & DC Support | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Business Intelligence Sr Retail Industry Analyst | Army & Air Force Exchange Service | Dallas, TX | | Learning Alignment Consultant (Performance Consultant) | Petsmart, Inc | Phoenix, AZ | | EH&S Manager | Vera Bradley Designs | Fort Wayne, IN | | Advanced Retail Manager (Training) | Army & Air Force Exchange Service | Dallas, TX | | Store Manager (Deploy) | Army & Air Force Exchange Service | Dallas, TX | | Vice President, Real Estate | Earls Restaurant Ltd | Vancouver, Canada | | Retail Training & Development Manager | Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers | Columbus, GA | | Senior Manager Retail Marketing | The Timberland Company | Stratham , NH | | Manager IS Data Center & Windows | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Store Software Applications Architect | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Fashion Buyer | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | Licensed Product Manager | Harley-Davidson | Milwaukee, WI | | Manager General Merchandise #792BR | Harley-Davidson | Milwaukee, WI | | Project Manager | Limited Brands | Columbus, OH | | | |  | |  |
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- Friday, June 17, 2011
- Thursday, June 16, 2011
- Wednesday, June 15, 2011
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Contributing Editor: Faye Rapoport
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The world’s five biggest retailers have one thing in common: They all sell groceries. 
thanks for posting this kind of blog.. i really do appreciate this one. retail tagging
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