OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

New York -- Costco Wholesale appears to be eyeing China's online commerce market, according to published reports.

The Southern Metropolis Daily, a newspaper based in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, reported Thursday that the Issaquah, Wash.-based club retailer was interested in entering the country's e-commerce market and was in the process of looking for local partners.

Washington, D.C. -- A report on Friday by the Labor Department showed that retail employment declined by 24,000 in March, the biggest slide since February 2012. The largest hiring slump occurred among clothing and accessories stores, which dropped 15,000, followed by a 10,000 decrease among building-material and garden suppliers.
 
Retailers have been slow to hire largely because of the concern over the 2% increase in payroll taxes and how the bump is impacting consumer spending.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Work wear brand Dickies said Monday it has launched an online tool called Shop and Compare, which allows users to compare products side by side.

The new Shop and Compare app gives customers the ability to view up to three different pants or shirts side by side along with a detailed display of the price, fabric, fit, color, and description of each garment.

New York -- Ron Johnson is out as CEO of J.C. Penney. In making the announcement, the company also said that that Myron E. (Mike) Ullman has rejoined Penney as CEO, effective immediately. Ullman, who served as CEO of Penney until late 2011, has also been elected to the board of directors.

Johnson’s departure was not all that unexpected given the chain’s mounting losses and sales declines. But it was still a stunning reversal of fortune for the former golden boy of Apple, who left the tech giant amid great fanfare for the top job at Penney.

Cincinnati -- ECOtality and The Kroger Co. announced Monday an expanded partnership including over 200 level 2 (quick charge) charging stations, and 25 DC Fast Chargers, to be installed across key markets through the EV Project.

The multimillion-dollar expansion will bring the total number of Blink chargers in the Kroger system to almost 300.

New York -- Amazon will cement its position as major retail price setter for years to come by exploiting its logistics opportunity, according to a new ResearchFarm report.

San Francisco -- More than half of Americans shop and spend money to improve their moods, according to a new survey.

The study, by Ebates.com, found that 63.9% of women engage in “retail therapy,” compared with 39.8% of men, and the belief that it improves moods was found among 39.2% of women, compared with 20.6% of men. The survey was conducted online by TNS Global and included 1,000 adults.

Los Angeles -- Sport Chalet announced the company-wide implementation of order today, deliver today service. With this new service Sport Chalet customers can order merchandise and have it delivered the same day.