| March 1, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Retailers' February sales beat estimates
Retailers including Target, Macy's and Limited Brands reported stronger-than-expected sales gains for February, buoyed by Valentine's and Presidents Day holidays and strong demand for spring clothes as the warm winter continued. "We saw good consumer response to our early spring deliveries in women's apparel, and continued strong trends in accessories, shoes, cosmetics, men's and home, which bodes well for the months ahead," said Macy's chairman and CEO Terry Lundgren. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.)/The Associated Press (free registration) (3/1), The Wall Street Journal (3/1)       | Learn about Xerox® solid ink and enter to win an Apple® MacBook Air®— Exceptional color print quality, 90% less waste than comparable color lasers, and speeds up to 40 ppm make the ColorQube® 8570 printer your perfect solution for affordable color printing. Enter to win an Apple®MacBook Air® when you learn more. |
 - CSR boosts Wal-Mart's bottom line, says former CEO
Going green has given Wal-Mart a big bottom-line boost, says former CEO Lee Scott. Curbing packaging, reducing energy use and streamlining supply chains is better for the planet, but it also makes sound economic sense, Scott explains. "Sustainability really was about taking out waste. ... It is often less expensive to make that product sustainable," he says. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (2/29) - Nordstrom sends used shoes to the Rack
Nordstrom made an unusual move for a luxury retailer when it began selling gently worn and refurbished shoes at its Nordstrom Rack outlet stores. Some industry watchers say the move may prove to tarnish the brand's high-end image, but others say affordably priced used shoes from designers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton are likely to appeal to younger consumers' fondness for pre-owned couture. CNBC (2/29) - Latin America is Gap's next stop for global growth
Gap has opened a namesake store and a Banana Republic in Panama City and plans to open three more stores in Panama this year, in partnership with Superior Retail. The US-based apparel chain has targeted Latin America as its next area for international expansion and plans to open stores in Colombia, Uruguay and Peru. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (2/29)  | Cloud Security Who Do You Trust?
Cloud computing changes the way we use computing with the promise of significant economic and efficiency benefits. But significant security issues are presented with this new approach to computing. This white paper explains why trust, reliability and security decisions are central to choosing the right model. |
 | Retail trends |  |  | | - Lack of sizing standards lets designers appeal to the ego
A women's clothing size can vary widely from one brand or designer to the next, as few adhere to a standard sizing chart. Savvy designers use the situation to create "vanity sizing" aimed at appealing to shoppers looking for a smaller number on the size tag. "It's easier for someone to sell clothes when they make people feel good," says fashion instructor and tailor Paula Minydzak. Chicago Sun-Times (2/29) - High-end malls thrive while most others struggle
Crowds still flock to Denver's tony Cherry Creek Shopping Center, but the region's other malls are struggling. It's a scene playing out across the country, as consumers shift more of their shopping to discount stores and online outlets and formerly reliable mall tenants including Sears, Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch close underperforming stores. The Wall Street Journal (2/29)  | Fly a lot? Earn 3X rewards points on airline purchases with The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster:
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   | The Business Case for Mobile and Tablet Shopping
Is mobility an out-of-reach luxury or could it really improve your business? Get the facts! Aberdeen’s Analyst Insight examines the impact of mobile solutions on retail transactions, customer expectations, and important profit opportunities. This research – a $399 value- is yours free! Download your copy here! |
 | Main Street | | | | - 4 ways to handle complaints via social media
The first step to dealing with customer complaints on social media is to try to prevent them from happening, writes Micah Solomon. Provide other means of contacting your company so that customers don't resort to calling you out on Facebook or Twitter. But when you do receive a social media complaint, it's important to address the problem calmly and quickly. Encourage the complainer to deal with the issue over a more personal channel, such as e-mail. CNBC (2/22)
| NRF News | | | | - Express CMO: How to translate social media into sales
Express and its chief marketing officer Lisa Gavales were early adopters of social media, launching its entire catalog in a Facebook store last spring as other merchants held off. In this interview, she talks about how customers view social interactions with brands and how social-savvy companies can turn those conversations into sales. "We don't look at social media ROI any more than we look at the ROI of air conditioning. We measure how much interaction we have -- the more the better," said Gavales. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (1/5) - What's hot in retail (and at NRF)
February 2012 showed no signs of slowing down for the retail industry, Washington and NRF. Last month's popular resources on NRF's websites included our 2012 Valentine's Day Consumer Intentions survey, NRF Foundation's and KPMG's tenth-annual Retail Horizon's report, and our yearly and monthly sales forecasts. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (3/1)
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - What's behind Chipotle's stellar success?
 Chipotle wasn't the first Fresh Mex concept, but the burrito chain that started with one store near the University of Denver in 1993 was in the "right place at the right time with the right product," and quickly figured out how to leverage those advantages, writes Paul Barron in this first chapter of "The Chipotle Effect." SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Restaurants (3/1) - Chairman: Panera keeps working to perfect success recipe
Panera has grown into a $1.82 billion company with 1,541 cafes in the U.S. and Canada since Ron Shaich bought the concept in 1993 for $24 million. Panera hit on the right mix of food, people and atmosphere on its path to success, but the company can't ever rest on its laurels, he says. "Given the frequent failures of restaurant companies, even those once at the top of the industry, a healthy paranoia pervades Panera's halls." Forbes (2/29) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Business Analyst | QuantiSense | Atlanta, GA | | Implementation Consultant | QuantiSense | Atlanta, GA | | Director, Store Environment & Merchandise Planning | Harbor Freight Tools | Calabasas, CA | | Email Marketing Manager | Golfsmith | Austin, TX | | Vice President of Human Resources | Teavana | Atlanta, GA | | Assistant General Manager of Merchandising (AGMM) | Saks Fifth Avenue | Atlanta, GA | | Merchandise Planner | Kohl's Department Stores | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Merchandise Buyer | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee/Menomonee Falls, WI | | Category Manager (Consumables/Home Division) | Navy Exchange Service Command | Virginia Beach, VA | | Director of Operations | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Buyer (Missy & Special Size Separates) | Navy Exchange Service Command | Virginia Beach, VA | | Direct Marketing Manager | RadioShack | Fort Worth, TX | | National Advertising Sales Manager | Intent Media | New York City , NY | | Maintenance Associate | Rooms To Go | Charlotte, NC | | The North Face: Customer Relationship Management Manager | The North Face | San Leandro, CA | | Selling Manager, Women's Shoes - NYC Store | Saks Fifth Avenue - NYC Store | New York, NY | | Senior Product Manager | dunnhumby | Cincinnati, OH | | Vice President of eCommerce | The Vitamin Shoppe | North Bergen , NJ | | Merchandise Planner | The Bon Ton Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | AVP - Marketing | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Senior Manager, Manhattan WMS Applications | PEAPOD | Lake Zurich, IL | | Visual Merchandiser Manager | Castle Megastore Group | Tempe, AZ | | DVP Spirit Halloween Marketing, Licensing & Creative Services | Spirit Halloween | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Demand Planner | Staples, Inc. | Framingham, MA | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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- Tuesday, February 28, 2012
- Monday, February 27, 2012
- Friday, February 24, 2012
- Thursday, February 23, 2012
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Contributing Editor: Faye Rapoport
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