| March 12, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Topshop bets on U.S. success
Radically different shopper attitudes and a heavy focus on discounting in the U.S. have hurt U.K. retailers' efforts to expand in the United States, and vice versa. The failures of earlier efforts by chains including Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury's hasn't daunted Topshop chief Philip Green, who opened the company's third U.S. shop in Las Vegas last week. The Independent (London) (3/11)       | Redefining commerce in the age of the customer
Today's customers have information at their fingertips and can dictate a new set of terms in the dynamic relationship between buyers and sellers. Smarter Commerce puts the customer at the center of all operations. Read this brochure to learn how your organization can build better business processes. |
 - Ann Taylor plans changes to boost sales, profits
Ann Inc. aims to boost sales at its Ann Taylor stores with new apparel assortments that add color and more diverse styles, CEO Kay Krill told analysts and investors in its earnings call Friday. The company also plans to expand its online operations and outlet stores, which combined now account for 34% of total sales. Barrons.com (3/10), The Wall Street Journal (3/11) - Kohl's unveils smaller-format stores
Seven of the eight new Kohl's stores that opened last week mark the debut of the chain's smaller format, with 64,000 square feet or less of selling space compared to its traditional 90,000-square-foot footprint. The smaller stores are designed to give the chain more real estate options, especially in urban markets. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (3/9) - Sunflower delays store openings amid takeover by Sprouts
Stores planned by Sunflower Farmers Market will be delayed because Sprouts Farmers Market agreed to buy the chain. If the acquisition gains regulatory approval, Sunflower stores will become Sprouts locations, with the combined company having 139 stores. Any store opening will wait until after regulatory approval. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (3/10)  | Leveraging Cloud Security to Weather Threatening Storms
Web attacks and retribution campaigns are on the rise, and they have become more frequent, more random and more extreme. This paper assesses the current cyber threat environment and discusses the use of distributed cloud services as an effective means to protect against evolving, modern-day IT threats. |
 - Brazilian tourists boost U.S. retail coffers
 Newly wealthy Brazilian citizens are flocking to the U.S. with carry-on luggage and heading home with so many new purchases that airplanes have to carry extra fuel. Driven by a combination of new prosperity and hyperinflation that makes everything more expensive at home, Brazilians spent about $5.9 billion on visits to the U.S. in 2010, and they're a big part of the reason President Barack Obama is pushing to speed the visa process. Boston Herald/The Associated Press (3/11) - American shoppers hold the keys to recharging the world economy
With Europe on the brink of a possible second recession and China's cooling growth, U.S. consumers hold the keys to restarting the global economic engine, experts say. Some analysts expect U.S. shoppers to become more willing to spend in the second half of 2012, but only if the employment picture continues to improve. Reuters (3/11)  | Data powers all your online channels and as a marketer you are involved with how this information is being used to reach customers. Federal regulations require protection of that consumer data to avoid potential risks and lawsuits. Watch these videos to learn how to create a comprehensive data privacy strategy. |
 | Retail Technology |  |  | | - Apps may drive growth of grocery store scanning
Stop & Shop is the only major U.S. retail chain using portable scanners from Modiv Media, a technology that aimed to revolutionize the way consumers shop and pay when it was introduced in 2003. New mobile applications that work from shoppers' smartphones and include coupons and other discounts along with easing the checkout process may be the key to finally making scanning mainstream, industry experts say. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (3/12)  | Earn 2X rewards points on advertising costs with The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster:
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 | 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 | | | | - NRF sets up shop at the Retail Business Technology Expo in London
The Retail Business Technology Expo and Cards and Payments Solutions Event (RBTE) is a two-day informative and interactive seminar and conference showcasing more than 300 global solution providers. NRF, along with its technology standards division, the Association for Retail Technology Standards, and its digital division, Shop.org, will be the only U.S. retail trade association at RBTE, which kicks off Tuesday. ARTS Executive director Richard Mader and Shop.org's Senior Director of Content and Community Artemis Berry will both be featured speakers on the educational program at RBTE, the premier event for retail executives and their international business partners. Read more. - Helzberg Diamonds, Macy's veteran leads NRF Loss Prevention team
The opportunities that a more connected global society brings to retailers also present new areas of concern for loss prevention professionals. As a result, LP experts must be on the top of their game when it comes to knowledge of legal issues, business continuity, and the ways emerging technologies can compromise information security. In a new post on Retail's BIG Blog, NRF's Vice President of Loss Prevention Rich Mellor explains how his early career in law enforcement prepared him for the rigors of loss prevention leadership at Macy's, Helzberg Diamonds, and now as an educator and moderator at NRF's 2012 Loss Prevention Conference and Expo. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (3/12)
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - McDonald's turns its hands to breakfast baking
McDonald's is testing new baked goods in the New England market as part of push to grab more morning and snack-time market share from rival Dunkin' Donuts. The stores will officially begin promoting the new cheese danish, muffins, banana bread and vanilla scones today; unlike the rest of the breakfast menu, the baked goods will be available throughout the day. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (3/10) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Planner | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Business Analyst | QuantiSense | Atlanta, GA | | Implementation Consultant | QuantiSense | Atlanta, GA | | Director, Store Environment & Merchandise Planning | Harbor Freight Tools | Calabasas, CA | | Vice President of Human Resources | Teavana | Atlanta, GA | | Director of Store Initiatives | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | VP eCommerce | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Buyer, Petites | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Talent Acquisition Manager - Stores | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Director, Online Marketing | Bath & Body Works Direct, Inc. | Columbus, OH | | AVP - Marketing | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Senior Manager, Manhattan WMS Applications | PEAPOD | Lake Zurich, IL | | Merchandise Planner | The Bon Ton Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | Direct Marketing Manager | RadioShack | Fort Worth, TX | | Director of Operations | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Merchandise Planner | Kohl's Department Stores | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Merchandise Buyer | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee/Menomonee Falls, WI | | Assistant General Manager of Merchandising (AGMM) | Saks Fifth Avenue | Atlanta, GA | | Merchandise Planner | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Demand Planner | Staples, Inc. | Framingham, MA | | Global Insights Manager | Burt's Bees | Durham, NC | | Designer - Footwear/Girlcare | Tween Brands Service Co. | New Albany, OH | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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