| January 26, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- CEO: Bon-Ton to take its lead from customers
Customers have more shopping choices than ever before, which means retailers must listen to them and tailor their offerings accordingly, says newly named Bon-Ton CEO Brendan L. Hoffman. "Otherwise, she's going to go to another store or she's going to go online. So it goes back to, 'The customer's always right,'" said Hoffman, who takes over the job on Feb. 7. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (tiered subscription model) (1/25)      - J.C. Penney launches new "square deal" logo
J.C. Penney says its latest logo, a red square and a smaller blue square with the "jcp" name in the corner, was made to resemble a flag and represents the "square deal" shoppers can expect under the department store chain's new pricing system. The latest look replaces a logo launched less than a year ago. The Wall Street Journal (1/26) - Penney aims to prove change is good: Major changes unveiled by J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson on Wednesday are focused on pricing, promotion and personality and aim to breath new life into the 110-year-old department store chain, writes STORES editor Susan Reda. Retail's BIG Blog (1/25)
- New strategy harks back to Penney's roots: Former store clerk James Cash Penney launched his department store chain 110 years ago in a Wyoming coal-mining town, with a no-haggling policy and an everyday low-price strategy that resembles the pricing changes the company announced this week. The Wall Street Journal (1/26)
- Wal-Mart ends night shifts for greeters
Wal-Mart has removed greeters from the overnight shift at its U.S. stores, in a move to save money and ensure proper staffing levels during peak shopping times, the company said. The retailer has been reassigning night-shift greeters at its 3,000 U.S. supercenters to other jobs during the last six months. Bloomberg (1/25)  | Top 5 HR Compliance Concerns for Small Business
Small and medium sized companies spend a lot of time focusing on core business issues, but they may overlook one of the most potentially serious and costly issues — regulatory compliance. How do you know what issues to look for in order to protect the company? Download this must-read paper that discusses the top 5 HR compliance issues. |
 - U.S. retail chains add electric charging stations
Sales of electric cars are on the rise and retailers and shopping centers across the country are adding electric-car charging stations to help them fuel up. Walgreens has added stations at about 800 stores, Macy's is testing them at a handful of locations in San Diego, and Kohl's and Best Buy have launched tests as well. Los Angeles Times (1/26)  | Is e-mail a key part of your company's marketing strategy?
In 2011, 94% of marketers planned to use e-mails as part of their campaigns. In this free white paper from American Express OPEN, you’ll learn how to populate and segment your list which can help to make sure that your messages land in your recipients’ inboxes. SmartBrief readers: Download your free e-mail marketing white paper now. |
 - Gristedes upgrades its in-store IT systems
New York City supermarket chain Gristedes has overhauled its in-store IT system to improve service, offer Wi-Fi access needed for mobile promotions, add digital signage, improve inventory management systems and provide a seamless backup for times when the system goes down. "Because of the old New York City infrastructure ... we were constantly having problems," said CIO Chris McCrae. STORES magazine (1/2012)  | 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! |
 - How to improve your tax-preparation process
A number of strategies, such as switching to a computerized accounting system and regularly balancing your books, can help set up your business for success this year, writes Bonnie Lee of Taxpertise. "Review your company's financial statements on a regular basis to determine the progress of your business, pinpoint weak spots, and to plan for the future," she writes. Fox Business Small Business Center (1/20)  | Maintaining accurate inventory is at the heart of retailing. Perpetual inventory solutions are one means to that end. Download our white paper, Inventory Is the Store: How Mobility Maximizes Return on Investment, to learn how Zebra mobile inventory solutions improve inventory management by meeting your inventory where it lives on the shelves. |
 | Policy & Government Affairs |  |  | | |  | - Lobbyists react to State of the Union
President Barack Obama didn't heed requests from the retail industry to mention its role as a job creator in Tuesday's State of the Union address. "A lot of his speech was focused on the notion of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. Well, retailers haven't left," said NRF's top lobbyist, David French. Roll Call (free content) (1/26)  | Principles of Checkweighing - Building an Effective Program
This essential guide is an invaluable resource of checkweighing information and a definitive reference providing an insight into all aspects of checkweighing from basic principles to implementation of a comprehensive program. Request your free copy now! |
| NRF News | |  | |
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Has Smashburger found the secrets to success?
Smashburger has grown to 143 locations in 25 states and gained loyal followings in each market without spending on TV or radio ads. The chain, which launches with a locally flavored burger in each new city, depends on social media to boost its profile in the increasingly crowded field of fast-casual players. Reuters (1/25) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Divisional Merchandise Manager | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Marketing Manager | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Footwear Buyer | Big 5 Sporting Goods | El Segundo, CA | | Retail Analytics Specialist | QuantiSense | Atlanta, GA | | Merchandising Director | Stein Mart | New York, NY | | Corporate Retail Visual Presentation Manager | Soft Surroundings | St. Louis, MO | | VP, Division Planning Manager | The Bon Ton Stores, Inc. | Milwaukee, WI | | VP Customer Strategy | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Planogram Specialist | Headquarters Marine Corps, Semper Fit and Exchange Services | Quantico, VA | | Merchandise Replenishmnet Analyst | Headquarters Marine Corps, Semper Fit & Exchange Services | Quantico, VA | | Buyer | Jeans Warehouse | Los Angeles, CA | | Merchandise Planner | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Merchandise Planner-Contemporary Handbags | Saks Fifth Avenue | New York , NY | | Merchandise Planner-Designer Shoes | Saks Fifth Avenue | New York , NY | | Division Planner | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Senior Marketing Strategy & Loyalty Consultant | Alliance Data | Columbus, OH | | Buyer | Bed, Bath & Beyond | Union, NJ | | Assistant (Associate) Buyers - Brick & Mortar and Ecommerce | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | Regional Manager (West) | Perry Ellis International | Dallas, TX | | DVP Spirit Halloween Marketing, Licensing & Creative Services | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Sr. Director, Store Planning and Construction | Spencer Gifts/Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Assistant Controller | Brooks Brothers | Enfield, CT | | Director of Digital Marketing Strategy | The Limited | Columbus, OH | | Handbag Buyer | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Pricing Analyst | Barnes & Noble, Inc. | New York, NY | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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Half of consumers surveyed have accessed customer reviews in-store using their mobile device. Source: 
The 2012 NRF Annual Convention & EXPO was easily the largest event in its 101-year history with more than 25,500 retail industry professionals attending from 78 countries around the world. The 2012 event was also our most successful, not just by the numbers, but by the palpable energy and optimism felt throughout. 
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