 | December 1, 2010 | News for the retail industry |  |  | |
- Stores devote more seasonal space to Hanukkah gifts
Merchants have been adding more Hanukkah-themed gifts and decorations to their seasonal stocks. The Jewish holiday was a minor one for centuries, but the celebration's proximity to Christmas and the growing number of interfaith families have transformed it into a major gift-giving holiday in recent years. Target stores are devoting more floor space to Hanukkah, and shelves boast specialty products such as Fisher Price's Little People Hanukkah set and Star of David Bundt pans. USA TODAY (11/30)       - The right time for Nordstrom to say "I do" to bridal shops
 Nordstrom opened the first of 14 in-store bridal salons, in its first official foray into the wedding-gown business. The upscale chain's selection of designer gowns and dresses has long made it an unofficial favorite for bridesmaids, and the chain is positioned to capture more wedding business with the addition of wedding gowns, especially as competitors close more of their bridal salons. BNET/Retail Reality Check blog (11/30)  | Using Social Data: Does Your Business Know the Rules?
Learn what it takes to create a positive experience for both your users and your business.
Download a free whitepaper now. | - Online retailers extend Cyber Monday specials
More online merchants have announced plans to extend Cyber Monday deals throughout the week to keep the momentum going. Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us and Kmart are among the merchants offering online "doorbusters" throughout the week. "Retailers have realized that if they don't compete, they are not in the game," said an NPD analyst. CNBC/Consumer Nation blog (11/30) - Home-furnishing retailers cater to home-decorating tweens
Consumers in the 8-to-14 age range are putting their personal style stamps on their rooms in growing numbers, creating a new opportunity for home-furnishing chains that cater to the younger crowd. Pottery Barn launched its PBTeen brand seven years ago to capture more of the young market, and home-furnishing chains hope efforts to appeal to tweens will pay off in loyalty later, when it's time to decorate dorm rooms and furnish first apartments. The Wall Street Journal (12/1) - Credit card users are rewarded for buying with plastic
Fewer consumers are using a credit card for their purchases this holiday season, so credit card companies are offering incentives to spur credit card use. Toys R Us is tripling its reward dollars, and Citigroup Citi card is offering a sweepstakes. Some of these incentives have eligibility restrictions or deadlines. The Wall Street Journal (11/28)  | In "How The Vitamin Shoppe Answered the Inventory Question," Tony Truesdale (President & Chief Merchant) and Jason Scheffer (Director of Inventory) discuss how the company quickly raised turn & in-stocks while also reducing working capital needs prior to The Vitamin Shoppe's successful IPO in October '09 — the first retailer to do so in almost two years. | - New Gap ads include Foursquare deal
Gap's newest online holiday ads include an "Add to Foursquare" button that adds Gap to the user's to-do list and creates a discount offer on one full-price item. Users will also be able to connect the to-do to a local store, and Foursquare will send a reminder when the consumer nears the location. Mashable (11/30) | Policy & Government Affairs |  |  | | |  | - Senate passes bill to strengthen food safety
The Senate voted 73-25 Tuesday to approve a food safety bill that would strengthen the FDA's ability to require recalls and increase inspections of food-production facilities. The House is expected to approve the Senate version of the bill, which supporters say would go a long way to prevent or lessen the severity of contamination outbreaks. The Washington Post (12/30) , The Wall Street Journal (12/1)  | New cloud management techniques enable IBM to provide a simplified "anywhere, anytime" self-service approach for the delivery and consumption of IT services. Read this paper to see how using a cloud-based approach for your IT can free you to reap immediate benefits of a specific technology instead of having to spend time, resources, and money focusing on how to implement it. |
| NRF News | | | | - Senate approves food safety bill, NCCR seeks quick House passage
Yesterday's Senate passage of landmark legislation strengthening federal food safety requirements and the FDA's authority over the issue was welcomed by the National Council of Chain Restaurants, with organization leaders calling for quick approval by the House of Representatives. NCCR President Jack Whipple said, "The sooner the House passes the same bill, the sooner the FDA can go about the business of strengthening our food safety system." Read more. - NRF SmartStat: Dec. 1, 2010
 The number of people who began their Black Friday shopping at midnight tripled this year from 3.3% last year to 9.5% in 2010. Source: NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch - Register for Retail's BIG Show by Dec. 3 and save
Attendees making their way to New York for NRF's 100th Annual Convention & EXPO can save more than $300 by registering before Dec. 3. NRF retail members save even more when registering a five-person retail team. The Convention & EXPO is scheduled for Jan. 9 to 12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | | | - McDonald's launches new line of chicken wraps
McDonald's is testing a new line of Fresh Garden Wraps that feature chicken surrounded by salad greens and cheese. Chicken increasingly has become the focus of new product development by McDonald's and other chains, as beef prices continue to rise. BurgerBusiness.com (11/30)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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