OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Retail imports set records despite West Coast port issues
Washington -- Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to slow down this month following record levels seen in September and October as retailers rushed to bring merchandise into the country ahead of a possible shutdown of West Coast ports, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. 
ABC Stores automates Hawaiian warehouse with Voice Picking
Irvine, Calif. -- C-store operator ABC Stores selected DecisionPoint Systems to automate its Hawaiian warehouse operation using Wavelink's Speakeasy voice picking technology. The move reduced picking errors and increased efficiencies by 40%, prompting the retailer to look at further deployment.

Target opening 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving; reveals extra-early Black Friday deals, extended hours

Minneapolis --The competition for the holiday shopper continues with the news that Target Corp. is kicking off the holiday season extra early this year, with plans to offer early access to Black Friday deals for one-day only on Nov. 10, a pre-sale on Nov. 26, and a 6 p.m. store opening on Thanksgiving evening.
Ann Inc. forecasts declining sales; assesses supply chain

New York-- Ann Inc. is forecasting declining sales for the fiscal third and fourth quarter and full year 2014. The company is also launching a comprehensive, end-to-end assessment of its supply chain to identify opportunities to enhance profitability, with a focus on speed, flexibility, improving product sell-through and reducing the cost of goods sold.
Target names GM exec as chief risk and compliance officer

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. has named Jacqueline Hourigan Rice as senior VP, chief risk and compliance officer. Rice is a 17-year veteran of General Motors, where she most recently served as chief compliance officer.
Gap expanding footprint in China; testing virtual wall technology

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported that it will surpass 100 Gap branded stores across mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan on Nov. 8 when the brand opens a location in Guangzhou. The milestone--reached less than four years after the first Gap store debuted in 2010--includes Gap and Gap Outlet stores.
Foot Locker CEO Ken Hicks to retire; COO to assume role

New York -- Foot Locker Inc. announced that, as part of a planned succession process, Ken Hicks, 61, intends to retire as president and CEO of the company on Dec. 1, 2014. Hicks, a highly-regarded retail veteran who has been wooed by other retailers for the top spot, will be succeeded as president and CEO by COO Richard (Dick) A. Johnson, 56, who has been with Foot Locker for almost two decades.
Report: Wal-Mart to reappoint Price as Asia CEO

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is reportedly reappointing Scott Price as president and CEO of its Asia business. According to Bloomberg, Wal-Mart will let Price, who previously held the position from 2009 until June 2014, work from the retailer’s U.S. headquarters.
New York & Company names Kohl’s veteran as president, COO

New York -- New York & Company announced that John Worthington has joined the company as president and COO, effective immediately. Worthington will lead the company’s store operations, real estate, outlets, finance, IT, sourcing and logistics areas.
Survey: Breaches don’t change consumer behavior

Bedford, Mass. -- Almost 50% of consumers have fallen victim to at least one data breach and 45% say they are not confident they know all instances of when their personal information has been leaked. However, according to a survey conducted by RSA, the security division of EMC, in conjunction with the Ponemon Institute of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, in many cases behaviors toward security have not changed.