| December 19, 2011 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
| Top Story |  |  | | - Mackey talks Whole Foods innovation, growth
 Whole Foods founder and co-CEO John Mackey said the company introduced several programs during the economic downturn to "differentiate ourselves from our competitors," including a sustainable seafood program and one that ranked meats based on how the animals were treated. "I hope that we're not the only retailers who encourage our customers to learn as much as possible about their food, where it comes from and what it will do for them healthwise," he said. Austin American-Statesman (Texas) (free registration) (12/17)       | Earn 2X rewards points on shipping costs with The New Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster:
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  - Anonymous donors pay off Kmart layaway orders
One woman in Indianapolis spent a recent evening paying off the layaway accounts of about 50 cash-strapped shoppers in danger of losing their orders and paid for toys for other customers, saying she did it to honor her late husband. Around the country, other anonymous donors are paying off layaway orders for those less fortunate. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (12/16) - Target to sell credit card business
Target confirmed that it will move ahead on plans to sell its credit card business and to focus resources on its core retail operations. The credit card segment's profit grew 10% in the most recent quarter on a 64% drop in bad-debt expense and an increase in customers making prompt payments. Forbes (12/16)  | Which retailers are winning with better customer engagement?
Aberdeen’s connected store survey shows how top-performing retailers are boosting profits by personalizing the shopping experience, and what other retailers are doing to catch up. This White Paper provides a practical roadmap for what Aberdeen identifies as a fundamental transformation in retailing. Today, it’s yours at no cost! Download your copy now! |
 - Holiday layaway programs wrapped up last week
Customers stood in lines at stores around the country on Friday, the last day for many to make the final payments on their layaway orders. Wal-Mart, Kmart and Toys R Us all offered layaway programs this year, while Target said its lack of a layaway program led to a slow start for toy sales. The Wall Street Journal (12/17) - Shoppers turned out for earlier last-minute deals
Merchants saw an influx of deal-hungry shoppers during the weekend, indicating both a rise in consumer confidence and an acknowledgement by retailers that shoppers have grown more savvy in their search for the best bargains. "Retailers have been very promotional, they know that the average shopper is still looking for a deal, spending on a budget, [and] very focused on small, discretionary items, basics and necessities," said NRF Vice President Ellen Davis. ABC News (12/18)  | COMING SOON: The most valuable e-commerce conference of 2012, ChannelAdvisor Catalyst. Everyone who's anyone in e-commerce will be there. Follow @channeladvisor to find out the Where (hint: not NC) and When for Catalyst 2012 |
 - Reqoop app sends mobile users to the store
Reqoop combines smartphone technology, magazine-like editorial content, crowdsourcing and the thrill of the fashion hunt in a mobile application designed to drive traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. Users take photos of looks they like and they're published to the app, the Reqoop site and the site of the store where the fashions can be found. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (12/16)  | Consumer Insights Your Brand Needs to Know: Latest Trends in Behavioral Advertising
Learn what brand managers, advertisers, as well as networks, agencies, and publishers need to know about consumer survey insights into behavioral ad serving, also known as interest-based advertising. Learn more today! |
 | 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 | | | | - Shoppers turn to mobile, tablets to wrap up gift lists
While NRF survey results released last week show that the average person has completed only 47% of their holiday shopping, many of those consumers will turn to their tablet and mobile devices to make final gift purchases. According to the survey, more than 30% of tablet owners will use their device to purchase products or to look up retailer information such as store hours, location and directions. Most smartphone owners will utilize their device to research products -- with almost one-third using the device to compare prices. Read more. - When retailers will report monthly sales in 2012
NRF's 4-5-4 calendar serves as a voluntary guide for the retail industry and ensures sales comparability between years by dividing the year into months based on a 4 weeks/5 weeks/4 weeks format. The 4-5-4 calendar also establishes sales release dates, which have historically been on the first Thursday following the month's end. NRF has released calendars for 2012, 2013 and 2014. View the calendars.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Darden plans to freshen Olive Garden for new growth
Slower traffic and sales at Olive Garden weighed down Darden Restaurants' earnings, as a result of increased competition in the casual segment and growing demand for more affordable casual fare. The chain will launch a new promotional strategy in January and plans to roll out a new core menu next year, CEO Clarence Otis said. The Wall Street Journal (12/16) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Footwear Buyer | Forman Mills | Pennsauken, NJ | | HR Field People Analyst | Petsmart, Inc | Phoenix, AZ | | VP Retail | Delaware North Companies - Corporate Office | Buffalo, NY | | Buyer - Maternity/Petite Sportswear | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | VP DMM Ladies Shoes | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Regional Manager | Aspen Dental | Tampa, FL | | Associate Buyer - Procurement Services | Petsmart, Inc | Phoenix, AZ | | Regional Zone Manager | Spirit Halloween | Paramus, NJ | | Assistant (Associate) Buyers - Brick & Mortar and Ecommerce | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | Coordinator, Communications and Public Affairs | National Retail Federation | Washington, DC | | Manager, Brand Marketing & Public Relations | La-Z-Boy | Monroe, MI | | VP DMM Boys | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Finance Manager | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Sr. Director, Store Planning and Construction | Spencer Gifts/Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Director of Store Operations | Francesca's Collections | Houston, TX | | Visual Merchandising Manager | Castle Megastore | Tempe, AZ | | Logistics 3PL Manager | Spencer Gifts/Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | DVP Spirit Halloween Marketing, Licensing & Creative Services | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Buyer - Women's Accessories and Gifts | Pier 1 Imports | Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX | | Mens Buyer | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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- Wednesday, December 14, 2011
- Tuesday, December 13, 2011
- Monday, December 12, 2011
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NRF anticipates holiday retail sales to increase 3.8% for the 2011 season, reaching a record $469.1 billion. Source: 
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