| April 3, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
 | The Men's Wearhouse successfully integrated multi-channel processes under one division to reduce labor and inventory costs, improve inventory accuracy and visibility, more efficiently use temporary workers, and improve customer satisfaction through increased on-time performance and delivery. Download our case study to find out how they did it. | - Dunhill shifts expansion focus from East to West
London-based luxury menswear retailer Dunhill has opened its second store in the U.S. and plans at least three more in the next year, expanding its growth plans to the West after years of focusing on building the brand in Asia. The company, which has slowed domestic expansion amid the economic uncertainty in Europe, says it is also continuing to grow in China, which accounts for 30% of total sales. CNBC (4/2)      - Charming Charlie names 4 new executives
Charming Charlie has named four new merchandising, IT and operations executives with resumes that include stints at Kohl's, OfficeMax, Ulta and Victoria's Secret. The new hires are part of an ongoing growth strategy that calls for the specialty apparel and accessories chain to open 60 new stores this year. Retailing Today (free registration) (4/2) - Loblaw's Joe Fresh grows beyond Canada
Canadian grocery chain Loblaw, which developed its Joe Fresh clothing brand about seven years ago to compete with Wal-Mart, is looking beyond Canada's borders for future growth. The company opened its first U.S. Joe Fresh stores last year, and last week debuted a shop on New York City's Fifth Avenue. Bloomberg Businessweek (4/2)  | Retailers using a cross-channel loyalty platform have seen a 20% increase in customer retention rates. Download our white paper, Five Strategies for Cross-Channel Loyalty, to learn the keys to building a centralized cross-channel customer loyalty platform that utilizes relevant customer data to ensure a seamless and consistent brand experience across all channels. |
 - Stylish options grow for plus-size figures
American women have gotten curvier, providing a growing area for retailers looking to provide plus-size fashionistas with the looks they want. One of the latest is Fashion to Figure, a fast-fashion chain selling sizes 12 to 26 and founded by Lane Bryant's great-grandson Michael Kaplan. "We're not in the business of labeling people. We are trying to make people feel confident." ABC News (4/2)  | Thinking about becoming an IBM Business Partner?
IBM Business Partners are well-equipped to uncover opportunity and find new avenues of growth, while helping better satisfy client requirements for innovative, end-to-end solutions as trusted, strategic partners. Read this brochure to learn more about the unique benefits of teaming with IBM. |
 - Size isn't everything when it comes to a business data strategy
"Big Data" buzz aside, companies make the best use of available information when they start with a business plan that clearly defines the company's objectives, then identify the types of data needed to meet specified goals, writes Caribou Honig, a co-founder and partner of venture firm QED Investors. "The benefit lies less in the volume of data and more in the novel types of data becoming available," Honig writes. Forbes/CIO Network blog (3/30) - Retailers see the appeal of location-based payments
Location-based payment systems that don't require consumers to carry their credit cards or hand over cash not only speed the checkout process, they can also overcome consumers' psychological barriers to spending, writes Jon Bruner. Companies including LevelUp and Dwolla say these features are increasingly appealing to retailers. Forbes (4/2)  | 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! |
 | Policy & Government Affairs |  |  | | |  | - American Express stops selling gift cards in N.J.
American Express has pulled its branded gift cards from sale in New Jersey, which enacted a law in 2010 that allows the state to take custody of the balance of gift cards considered to be abandoned if they haven't been used in two years. The company says it may not be able to comply with a provision that requires merchants to record the ZIP code of each card buyer, and other retailers say they may follow suit because of the same issue. NorthJersey.com (Hackensack, N.J.) (free registration) (4/2) - Report: Mexico, Argentina, Brazil erect barriers to U.S. trade
Mexico's taxing authority has started subjecting U.S. companies that export there to extensive audits of records dating back to 2007, a costly trade barrier for U.S. textile manufacturers, according to the U.S. Trade Representative's office. Argentina and Brazil have also enacted import restrictions that make it much more difficult for U.S. companies to do business there, the report found. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (4/2)  | What Data Thieves Don’t Want You to Know:
How a multi-layered data security solution, including encryption and tokenization, protects data in transit, in use and at rest. When combined, these two technologies provide a powerful method for securing sensitive data wherever it exists. Get proof here. |
| NRF News | |  | | - 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. - How supply chains can fulfill the promise of integrated retail
With more than two decades of experience, Sears Holdings SVP Rajan Penkar knows a thing or two about the evolution of the supply chain model. In a post on Retail's BIG blog, Rajan discusses how he is integrating a customer-facing model in his new role at Sears Holdings, as well as the challenges facing retail supply chains that will be hot topics at NRF's Global Supply Chain Summit, May 6 to 8 in Atlanta. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (3/15)
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Senior Buyer | Floor and Decor Outlets of America, Inc. | Smryna, GA | | VP Retail Merchandising | Little Switzerland | St. Thomas, USVI, USA Virgin Islands | | Planner | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Director of Advertising Production | The Bon Ton Stores, Inc. | Milwaukee, WI | | Enterprise Architect – Global IT Omni-Channel | Levi Strauss & Co. | San Francisco, CA | | Sr. Business Analyst, Multi-Channel Retail IT | Levi Strauss & Co. | San Francisco, CA | | Director of [RE]FRESH (a store supporting Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition) | [RE]FRESH: A Fashion Coalition | St. Louis, MO | | Corporate Recruiter | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Director of Online Marketing | The Men's Wearhouse | San Francisco, CA | | Director of Marketing | Moosejaw | Madison Heights, MI | | Project Manager | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Business Analyst-Supply Chain | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Systems Analyst | PetSmart | Phoenix, AZ | | Merchandise Planner | Kohl's Department Stores | Menomonee Falls, WI | | Merchandise Buyer - Multiple Categories | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee/Menomonee Falls, WI | | Director of Real Estate | Burlington Coat Factory | Los Angeles, CA | | Cosmetics Buyer (Experience Required) | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee, WI | | E-Commerce Merchant | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee / Menomonee Falls, WI | | Director of Operations | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Visual Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Huntington Station, NY | | eCommerce Web Analytics & Planner Manager | Bealls Florida | Bradenton, FL | | Manager of Store Communication | American Eagle Outfitters | Pittsburgh, PA | | Buyer, Petites | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL | | Buyer - Youth, Girls | Burlington Coat Factory | Burlington, NJ | | Vice President - General Manager | Saks Fifth Avenue | Stamford, CT | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
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This Easter, Americans intend to spend more than $3 billion on clothing. Source: 
USA TODAY
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