| May 29, 2012 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- H&M pushes for more stable conditions in Bangladesh
H&M sources about 25% of its fashions from factories in Bangladesh and aims to increase that figure, but the Swedish retailer is worried about the periodic political and labor unrest that has been known to disrupt production. The company said it's using its growing influence to convince manufacturers to improve working conditions. "We are big buyers in Bangladesh and we want to take greater responsibility for working conditions there," said CEO Karl-Johan Persson. The Wall Street Journal (5/28)       | Which do you choose: Customer frustration…or channel integration? Today's consumers expect to shop the way technology lets them work and live: easily, efficiently and seamlessly across channels. Aberdeen's 2012 Analyst Insight on the Omni-Channel Retail Experience explains how your competitors make that happen – and how you can too! This $399 value is now yours free. Download the report now! |
 - "Mad Men" styles boost Banana Republic to record sales
Banana Republic reported a 5% jump in same-store sales and record first-quarter revenue of $622 million. The growth has been driven in large part by the popularity of a "Mad Men" inspired line from costume designer Janie Bryant. A line from designer Trina Turk will be released on June 7, the company says. Bloomberg Businessweek (5/29)  | Cloud Computing for Midsize Business
If your midsize company has limited resources, you need to make the most of your IT investment. Cloud computing can lead to extraordinary cost savings and business innovation. This white paper provides a brief overview of cloud computing, explains how midsize companies can benefit, and describes the steps they can take to take advantage of what it has to offer. |
 - Why digital channels haven't displaced glossy catalogs
Almost 90 million Americans bought at least one thing from a catalog last year, but these days retailers count on the glossy books for more than direct sales -- increasingly, catalogs serve to market brands across a variety of sales channels. "I'm always looking at the turn-on item or category or outfit that will drive them to want to shop at J.Crew instead of the millions of choices out there," said CEO Mickey Drexler. USA TODAY/CNBC (5/25) - Retailers perk up customer loyalty programs
Half of U.S retailers are making loyalty programs a key part of their strategies this year, compared to 41% last year, according to NRF data. For many, that means adding perks and revamping programs with tiered memberships, partnerships such as Shopkick and offbeat rewards and extra perks for connecting via social media, says RAMA executive director Michael Gatti. SmartMoney.com (5/28) - Q-and-A: Arizona county attorney talks organized crime
 Organized retail theft is on the rise across the country and easy access to national transportation and proximity to Mexico are driving even faster growth in Arizona, says Maricopa County attorney Bill Montgomery. "These criminal enterprises are typically formed to finance other crimes, including weapons and narcotics trafficking, street gangs, money laundering and even terrorist financing." The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) (5/26)  | You've heard about the switch businesses are making to VoIP phone systems but are they right for your business? With more features and lower costs, the answer is probably yes. But don't take our word for it. Read Ziff Davis' Phone Systems Buyer's Guide and Comparison Guides, FREE with your registration. |
 - Body Shop turns to "entertailing" to keep shoppers in store
Body Shop has invested heavily in turning its retail stores into an experience designed to keep customers in the store longer, with interactive features from story telling to hand massages. "We found that the average amount of time a consumer spends in our prototype stores has doubled, from an average of five minutes to more than 10," said executive chairwoman Sophie Gasperment. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (5/28)  - Panda sunglasses finds funding in the crowd
Entrepreneur Vincent Ko created a line of sunglasses crafted from bamboo, turning to crowdfunding sites to get started and adding a charitable component to every sale. Each time someone buys a pair of Panda sunglasses at the growing number of boutiques that sell them, the company donates an eye exam and a pair of glasses to someone in Colombia, Argentina or India. The Washington Post (5/27)  | Five Ways to Reduce eCommerce Costs
The retail eCommerce market continues to benefit from positive economic trends and sustained consumer enthusiasm for online shopping. This free white paper examines five tactics for reducing the costs associated with operating an online retail business. |
 | 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.
| Policy & Government Affairs | | | | - Lawmakers move forward with new visa rules
Congress and the Obama Administration are moving ahead with a plan to modernize the Visa Waiver Program and make it easier for tourists and business people to visit the U.S., changes championed by the retail industry. "Recapturing the market share we have lost over the past 10 years in foreign travel will be a much needed boost to the U.S. economy and all of the travel related industries who rely on these travelers," said NRF vice president Jon Gold. The Hill (5/29) | | | Most Popular Headlines from Last Week Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers. |
| NRF News | | | | - Gilt Groupe CMO: "To stay ahead of the curve, we eat, drink and breathe innovation"
Approaching 5 years young, Gilt Groupe has changed the way both retailers and consumers look at shopping for fashion -- and has grown into a billion-dollar company doing it. Gilt Groupe co-founder and CMO Alexandra Wilkis Wilson shared with Shop.org Senior Director Artemis Berry how Gilt's e-commerce and digital strategies revolutionized the category, and what's ahead for the fashion retailer to stay on the cutting edge. Read more. Shop.org Blog (4/16) - Do you have what it takes to speak at retail's biggest event?
The call for speakers is now open for NRF's signature event -- Retail's BIG Show 2013. The yearly event has more than 130 educational programs and attracts more than 25,500 attendees from across the globe – here's your chance to be a part of it! Proposal submissions will be accepted through June 1. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - Atlanta-area chains poised for growth
Several of Atlanta's regional quickservice and fast-casual chains are jumping into faster-growth mode after several years of cautious expansion, including Steven Chan's Tin Drum, which expects to start selling its first franchises. As the chains aim to become the next national success story, some experts offer cautionary tales about the dangers of growing too fast. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (5/27) | |  | | Position Title | Company Name | Location | | Marketing Manager/Media Buyer | West Marine | Watsonville, CA | | Vice President of Marketing and Creative | Wisteria | Dallas, TX | | Senior Director/Director of Store Operations & Customer Service | BevMo! | Concord, CA | | Assistant Vice President, Allocation | dressbarn | Suffern/border line Mahwah, NJ , NY | | Marketing Director - NYC Store | Saks Fifth Avenue | New York, NY | | Buyer | Five Below, Inc. | Philadelphia, PA | | Merchandise Manager - Accessories / Footwear | Hanna Andersson | Portland, OR | | Experienced Retail/Wine Managers | Total Wine & More | Dallas - Fort Worth, TX | | Associate Buyer | Five Below, Inc. | Philadelphia, PA | | Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM) | Perry Ellis International | Miami, FL | | Director of Merchandise Planning (General Merchandise) | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | eCommerce Monetization Manager | Meijer | Grand Rapids, MI | | Director of Real Estate | Burlington Coat Factory | Los Angeles, CA | | Selling Manager - Palm Beach, FL | Saks Fifth Avenue | Palm Beach, FL | | Vice President Real Estate | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ | | Digital/Shopper Planning Director | TracyLocke | Wilton, CT | | Direct Marketing Campaign Developer | Shopko | Green Bay, WI | | Circulation and Marketing Analyst | Shopko | Green Bay, WI | | Real Estate Manager | Shopko | Green Bay, WI | | Divisional Private Brand Manager--Consumables/HBA | Shopko | Green Bay, WI, WI | | Buyer | Bed, Bath & Beyond | Union, NJ | | Senior Buyer - Home/Furniture | Shopko | Green Bay, WI | | Retail Operations Manager | Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts | Waltham, MA | | Senior DBA - SQL Server - Oracle | Shopko | Green Bay, WI | | Merchandise Buyer - Multiple Categories | Kohl's Department Stores | Milwaukee/Menomonee Falls, WI | | | Click here to view more job listings. | | |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."
--Henry David Thoreau,
American author and poet  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
| | | | | | | | | Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: - Friday, May 25, 2012
- Thursday, May 24, 2012
- Wednesday, May 23, 2012
- Tuesday, May 22, 2012
- Monday, May 21, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: Megan Conniff
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | | | | | | © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
Almost two-thirds of retailers said they will begin utilizing the collaborative forecasting, planning, and replenishment process to share business data with their supply chain partners this year. Source: 
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment thoughtfully CPG Brokers, your best resource to optimize your in store self exposure and maximize sku distribution.