 | August 8, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Rue 21 bets on low-priced fast fashion
Rue 21 is adding stores this year and expanding existing locations into the Rue 21 etc! format that sells accessories, purses, makeup and other items alongside its fast-changing collections of low-priced fashions, which are aimed at tween and teen girls. The chain prospered during the downturn as shoppers became more budget conscious. The pricing strategy could pay off this back-to-school season as families are expected to economize, according to recent NRF data. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (8/7)      - Gap rolls out L.A. taco truck
Gap has jumped on the Los Angeles food-truck bandwagon with the Pico de Gap taco truck, a venture timed to celebrate the release of creative director Rosella Giuliani's new 1969 collection. TV chef Marcel Vigneron created the four-item menu, which includes braised lamb neck with chile negro and guajillo and carnitas with chipotle. Los Angeles Times/Daily Dish blog (8/5) - Vintage Italian films flavor Target's new ad campaign
A new ad campaign to promote Target's exclusive new 400-item line of apparel, housewares and other products from Missoni takes its inspiration from the fashionably dressed men and women who peopled the popular Italian films of the 1960s. The multichannel campaign aims to educate American consumers on how to mix and match the brand's bold colors via online, TV and mobile videos that feature tips from Margherita Maccapani Missoni, granddaughter of the company's founders. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/7) - Frederick's of Hollywood opens in Abu Dhabi
 Frederick's of Hollywood opened its first store outside the U.S. last weekend, in the conservative UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, and the chain plans a second store in Dubai soon. The move reflects a fast-growing demand for the latest fashions in the Arab world. "Despite the outward conservative culture ... this is a very fashion-conscious market. They're no less interested in what we have to offer," said chairman and CEO Thomas Lynch. The Washington Times/The Associated Press (8/7)  | Don’t miss DMA2011— The Global Event for Real-Time Marketers. You’ll hear thousands of practitioners and experts discuss solutions and best practices to achieve optimal channel mix and integration that lead to measurable results and increase real-time customer engagement. Save an extra $300 when you register now with Keycode SMB3. |
 | Retail trends |  |  | | - Retailers see biggest job gains since April
Retailers added thousands of new jobs in July, including 3,400 at clothing and accessories stores and 5,400 at departments stores, according to a Labor Department report. "Looking back at the last year, we can see it has been very volatile ... but this has been the biggest gain since April and it is nice to see that," said Moody's senior economist Scott Hoyt. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (8/5) - Officials crack down on organized meat thefts, sales to restaurants
Police in Austin, Texas, recently carried out a sting aimed at catching a ring of organized thieves who were stealing choice cuts of meat from supermarkets and reselling them to restaurants. Most eateries declined to buy, but Operation Meat Locker resulted in felony charges against three restaurants after each bought more than $1,500 worth of the stolen meat. Such organized retail theft is a growing problem, and 95% of retailers were victims last year, according to NRF's Joe LaRocca. USA TODAY (8/8) - Merchants bet on last-minute back-to-school shoppers
Retailers from national chains including J.C. Penney to small New Orleans-area merchants are optimistic about the back-to-school season, although crowds haven't hit with a vengeance yet, according to this story. They're betting on a last-minute rush, with theories ranging from high gas prices to parents waiting until school starts to see what their children actually need. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (8/7)  | The Plum Card®
The Everything, Everywhere Trade Terms CardSM from American Express OPEN
• Pay in full within ten days, get a 1.5% discount
• OR pay as little as 10% and take up to 2 months to pay off the balance, interest free
• No annual membership fee for the first year—a savings of $185
• A powerful cash flow management tool
APPLY NOW |
  - Macy's makes back-to-school shopping a social action
Macy's is pairing its marketing of back-to-school clothes shopping with efforts to get young people involved in social activism, using direct mail, social networks, e-mail and mobile messaging to get the word out. Each time a shopper scans a quick-response code in a Macy's juniors and young men's departments, the clothier will donate a $1 to a youth volunteer organization, as well as a $1 for each "like" registered on Macy's MStyleLab Facebook page. DMNews (8/5) - More merchants add paperless receipt options
A slew of retailers from Anthropologie to Whole Foods have begun offering customers the option of foregoing paper receipts in favor of electronic versions either e-mailed or uploaded to a secure site. Some customers like the digital receipts because they make bookkeeping easier, while others appreciate the green aspects of cutting down on paper waste. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/7)  | The business phone system market is constantly changing. Vendors are battling for your business with expanded feature sets and competitive pricing. How do you know which system is right for your enterprise-class business? Focus Experts have just completed a comprehensive guide for 2011 to help you assess your needs and choose a phone system that fits. |
 | Hot Topics | | | | Top five news stories selected by NRF SmartBrief readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
| | | Most Popular Headlines from Last Week Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers. |
| NRF News | | | | - Retail industry adds 26,000 U.S. jobs in July
Last week's employment figures show that out of the 117,000 U.S. jobs added for the month of July, 26,000 of those were retail jobs -- a nod to the importance of the industry to the U.S. economy. As most of America is now closely watching their leaders in Washington to see what types of pro-growth policies will be put on the table for consideration, NRF is focusing on three: corporate tax reform, visa reform and free trade. Read more. - NRF SmartStat: Aug. 8, 2011
 The top ten cities for organized retail crime are Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/Northern New Jersey, Philadelphia and Phoenix. Source: NRF's 2011 Organized Retail Crime survey. - Is social media paying off?
A recent report by Forrester Research shows that Facebook's impact on e-commerce will be limited. What does that mean for your social media integration? Charming Direct President and CEO Bill Bass shares his views on social commerce and when to buy in to the latest shiny, new technology. Read more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Pret A Manger expands in the U.S. with a service-centric model
U.K.-based Pret A Manger is garnering attention in New York and other U.S. cities with a service-focused model that aims to serve each customer within 60 seconds and trains workers to engage in genuinely friendly interactions with guests. The chain, launched in 1986 by a couple of friends in search of a decent sandwich, experienced growing pains the first time it tried to expand here and says it has learned lessons that are leading to success this time around. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/6)  | |  | | | | |  |  Sr. Pricing Analyst | Office Depot | Boca Raton, FL | | Sales Associate- Part Time | Saks Fifth Avenue | Houston, TX | | Houston Sales Associate Career Days!! | Saks Fifth Avenue | Houston, TX | | VP Business Intelligence | Army & Air Force Exchange Service | Dallas, TX | | Manager, Help Desk | Total Wine & More | Potomac, MD | | Regional Visual Trainer | Victoria's Secret | Dallas/Houston, TX | | Sales Associates, Saks Fifth Avenue Las Vegas | Saks Fifth Avenue | Las Vegas, NV | | REGIONAL RECRUITING MANAGER | SAKS FIFTH AVENUE | TAMPA OR SARASOTA, FL | | Director of eCommerce Technology | Moosejaw | Madison Heights, MI | | Sales Associate | Saks Fifth Avenue | Phoenix, AZ | | Sales Associate | Saks Fifth Avenue- San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA | | Loss Prevention Exception Reporting Manager | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, Florida, FL | | Sales & Education Executive | Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics | Nationwide, United States | | SALES ASSOCIATES AND BEAUTY SPECIALISTS | SAKS FIFTH AVENUE | STAMFORD, CT | | SALES ASSOCIATES AND SALES SUPPORT ASSOCIATES | SAKS FIFTH AVENUE | HUNTINGTON STATION, LONG ISLAND, NY | | SALES ASSOCIATES | SAKS FIFTH AVENUE | TROY, MI | | Senior Retail Marketing Advertising Manager | Cabela's | Sidney, NE | | Sales Associate | UNIQLO | Manhattan, NY | | IT Opportunities | Belk Inc. | Charlotte, NC | | Manager, Product Training | Samsung Electronics America, Inc | Ridgefield Park, NJ | | Business Services Specialist | Headquarters, Marine Corps Community Services | Quantico, VA | | Fashion Buyer | Target | Minneapolis, MN | | | |  | |  |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence."
--Mark Twain,
American author and humorist  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
| | | | | | | | | Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: - Friday, August 05, 2011
- Thursday, August 04, 2011
- Wednesday, August 03, 2011
- Tuesday, August 02, 2011
- Monday, August 01, 2011
| | | Lead Editor: Megan Conniff
Contributing Editor: Faye Rapoport
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 | | | | | | © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment thoughtfully CPG Brokers, your best resource to optimize your in store self exposure and maximize sku distribution.