Discount chains likely to do the most holiday hiring, experts say

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September 19, 2011 News for the retail industry   Industry Watch  Home Depot recruits in-store experts for social media efforts The job for some handpicked Home Depot store employees changed a year ago when the company realized its best bet for social media success would be to use existing expertise. "You haven't seen us take a big swing from an investment standpoint; we're utilizing the resources we have," said vice president Brad Shaw, who assembled the team of 25 associates in three markets last year. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (9/19)      Foreign sales to outpace U.S. revenue at Tiffany Tiffany & Co. said it's poised to reap higher sales in faster-growing global markets than at its U.S. stores, driven in large part by wealthy consumers from China and Russia. The chain's U.S. sales dropped to about half of its total this year, from 61% four years ago, and sales in Europe are forecast to rise 20%. Bloomberg (9/16)      Bloomingdale's boosts food offerings with Magnolia Bakery Bloomingdale's has increased its fancy food offerings at stores across the country, most recently with the addition of an 850-square-foot Magnolia Bakery location at its New York City flagship. The bakery, which opened last week, is best known for its cupcakes, but the store also offers a full selection of muffins, pies and other baked goods. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (9/16)      Wal-Mart's Duke sees opportunities abroad Mike Duke, CEO of Wal-Mart, discusses the global economy and how it affects the retailing giant. Duke said that while the US economy remains under pressure due to low jobs and high fuel costs, the company sees retail opportunities in countries such as China and Brazil. He also discusses Wal-Mart's acquisition of Massmart in South Africa. USA TODAY (9/18)      Maryland police arrest man accused of identity theft Police in Prince George's County, Md., arrested a 29-year-old man accused of identity theft and credit-card fraud. Among the items seized when officers raided Joel Uzodinma's home and car at 5 a.m. Friday: stolen credit cards, 30 $500 Visa gift cards encoded with allegedly fraudulent data and alphabetized lists of possible identity theft victims. WJLA-TV (Washington, D.C.) (9/16)        Southern California grocers plan for possible strike With contract negotiations stalled, retailers made contingency plans in case Southern California grocery workers strike. Ralphs would close all stores; Albertsons might do a partial closure; and Vons expects to stay open. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (9/17)      Other News Orchard Supply Hardware opens rebranded store amid spinoff from Sears American City Business Journals/Silicon Valley Biz Blog (9/18)      Barneys New York opens fifth store in Japan The Japan Times (9/17)      The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN Spending power for your business. Premium benefits for you. Access a portfolio of 30+ premium benefits, including: • Membership Rewards® points that pay for flights, hotels, and more • 24/7, 1-on-1 Concierge for help with your life and your Business • Complimentary Airport Club Access Business Platinum Card APPLY NOW   Retail trends    Retailers find broader audience for layaway Retailers including Sears, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us are bringing back the layaway plans they did away with in the days of easy credit, and the programs appeal to a broader cross-section of consumers who can't or don't want to incur credit-card debt. "Those that are feeling the pinch have the alternative to make the purchase on something other than credit now," said NRF's Daniel Butler. Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (9/18)      Luxury sales aren't slowing down, says LVMH executive Demand in the U.S. and Europe for luxury handbags, watches and other products from LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA is showing no signs of slowing down, despite economic uncertainty, said Yves Carcelle, head of the conglomerate's fashion and leather goods unit. Bloomberg (9/17)      Discount chains likely to do the most holiday hiring, experts say People looking for temporary retail jobs this holiday season are likely to have the best luck at discount chains and dollar stores, experts say. "The biggest area (of hiring) will be in the discounters, who will have new shoppers in their stores who are moving down from the middle market," said John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The Huffington Post/Reuters (9/17)      From Black Friday to special promotions, the management of special events is relevant to all segments of retail. Anticipating what could happen, particularly in light of changing technologies and new generations of customers, can be difficult. Click here to reveal the art to minimizing the risk at special events.   Retail Technology    Merchants team with newspapers on mobile ad circulars Retailers are partnering with local and national newspapers to push their circulars out to subscribers who read the publications on their mobile devices, under a new service from the Associated Press. The pilot project will include retailers' paid advertising in the mobile applications of 40 newspapers including the New York Daily News, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)/The Associated Press (9/18)      Business Analytics: Optimizing Your Operations Organizations are gathering and storing enormous amounts of information. Read this e-book to see how mid-sized organizations can better use information to drive business decisions to lower costs and improve profit. Discover how you can overcome the barriers midsized business face and improve your competitive position.   Hot Topics  Top five news stories selected by NRF SmartBrief readers in the past week. Target sees overwhelming response to Missoni collection (The New York Times (tiered subscription model)) Inside Nordstrom's Treasure & Bond store (The New York Times (tiered subscription model)) High-end backpacks are the new messenger bag (The New York Times (tiered subscription model)) Shared strategy pays off for Kate Spade, Lucky and Juicy Couture (The Business Insider) Frederick's of Hollywood taps former Gap executive for presidential post (InternetRetailer.com) Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.   Policy & Government Affairs    New rules likely to make it tougher for some to get credit New rules that take effect Oct. 1 will require consumers to list personal rather than household income on credit-card applications, likely making it tougher for stay-at-home parents and students to obtain credit. "We don't want to give credit to people who can't pay. But with this rule, we don't know what personal income people are going to put in (their application)," said NRF's Mallory Duncan. The trade group had pushed for rules that would have allowed retailers to issue cards based on a broader set of data including credit scores and the customer's history with the store. Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (9/16)      Your customers move fast. Can your POS keep up? Today's shoppers are fully connected, highly informed, omni-channel and fast — and they expect nothing less of you! Learn how mobility can meet their demands by enabling richer engagement, instant information, seamless service and enhanced functionality. This new RTP White Paper explains your options and opportunities. Get your free copy now!   Sponsored Content    3 Ways To Find Top Talent For Your Startup Sharlyn Lauby What Hackers Want You To Know About The Data Security Game Marcie Hill (FedEx) Leverage Technology To Your Advantage With Simple Tools RACHEL BLANKSTEIN Government Contracting: Follow the Path of Other Successful Businesses ANITA CAMPBELL The Power Of Language: 5 Wicked Words That Are Sabotaging Your Success Ivana Taylor Most Popular Headlines from Last Week 7 Things You Didn't Know Google Analytics Could Tell You Karlee Weinman Steve Jobs' Biggest Contribution (That No One Is Talking About) Mike Michalowicz The 6 Excuses Entrepreneurs Use To Justify Their Struggling Business Mike Michalowicz Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.   NRF News  NRF's Matthew Shay named top association exec by CEO Update NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay has been named one of the country's top trade association CEOs by the publication CEO Update. The article highlights the recent swipe fee debate as a particular test for Shay and NRF over the past year. After launching its own campaign to mobilize the retail community and raise the profile of retailers on Capitol Hill, one CEO who nominated Shay for the recognition called the swipe fee campaign "a significant win for NRF and the merchants." Read more.      NRF SmartStat: Sept. 19, 2011 Thirteen retailers including J.Crew, Amazon and Tractor Supply Co. have appeared on the STORES Hot 100 Retailers list every year since it was created. Source: STORES        Google, Charming Direct executives debate the business case for mobile retail Is there an adequate business case for mobile? That was the debate at last week's Shop.org Annual Summit. In a recent video interview, Google Vice President of E-commerce and Payments Stephanie Tilenius weighs in on remarks by Charming Direct President Bill Bass that there is not an adequate business case for mobile. Does she agree or disagree? Watch the video.      Learn more about NRF -> Join NRF  |  Govt Relations  |  NRF Events  |  STORES  |  NRF Foundation   Chain Restaurant News  Why it took Wendy's more than 2 years to reinvent the burger Wendy's will begin serving its new Hot 'N Juicy burgers today, two-and-a-half years after the chain began the reinvention process. The chain recruited a pickle chemist, quizzed patrons on lettuce qualities and embarked on a nationwide burger-tasting tour to get it just right, a key part of the chain's ongoing push to revive flagging sales. USA TODAY/The Associated Press (9/19)      Position Title Company Name Location Director of Planning and Allocation LittleMissMatched New York, NY Merchandise Manager Party City Rockaway, NJ Payroll Manager Party City Rockaway, NJ SALES ASSOCIATE SAKS FIFTH AVENUE Hackensack, NJ Sales Associate- Saks Fifth Avenue Palm Desert Saks Fifth Avenue Palm Desert, CA MDSR Buyer-Fashion Meijer Grand Rapids, MI ASSET PROTECTION ASSOCIATE SAKS FIFTH AVENUE BAL HARBOUR, FL SALES ASSOCIATES SAKS FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY SALES ASSOCIATES SAKS FIFTH AVENUE GREENWICH, CT Sales Associate Career Day at South Coast Plaza Saks Fifth Avenue Costa Mesa, CA REGIONAL RECRUITING MANAGER SAKS FIFTH AVENUE ATLANTA, GA Buyer (Lawn & Garden/Seasonal/Trim-A-Tree) Navy Exchange Service Command Virginia Beach, VA Sales Associate - Sales Support (stock) - Personal Shopper - Career Day Saks Fifth Avenue McLean, VA Sales Associate Saks Fifth Avenue ATLANTA, GA Replenishment Manager Headquarters, MCCS Quantico, VA Regional Director Francesca's Collections Philadelphia, PA Vice President of Distribution and Logistics Sleep Experts Dallas, TX Visual Manager Saks Fifth Avenue San Francisco, CA Saks Fifth Avenue- Designer Sales Associate Saks Fifth Avenue Houston, TX Saks Fifth Avenue- Sales Associate Career Fair- New Orleans, LA Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans, LA Product Creative Design - Manager/Specialist Cabela's Sidney, NE Various Retail Opportunities within Deloitte Consulting LLP Multiple Locations, United States Location Director - Home Delivery Organic and Natural Food Suburban Organics Ottsville, PA Corporate Counsel - Employment Law Ross Stores Pleasanton, CA Director of Stores A'GACI, LLC San Antonio, TX Click here to view more job listings.   SmartQuote  Government is not reason; it is not eloquent -- it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." --George Washington, first U.S. president        This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com   Subscriber Tools       Update account information | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe | Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Grab our News Widget Publish your Press Release   Advertise Associate Publisher:  Susan W. Kim (202) 407-7877 Download Media Kit Job Board:  Jackie Basso (202) 407-7871       Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: Friday, September 16, 2011 Thursday, September 15, 2011 Wednesday, September 14, 2011 Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Monday, September 12, 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