Consumer Affairs & Relations

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company is teaming up with the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN)  to launch a “Create Jobs for USA” fund. 

Starting Nov.1, the new initiative will pool donations from Starbucks customers, partners (employees) and citizens into a nationwide fund for community business lending. One-hundred percent of the donations will go toward loans for firms and organizations that can add jobs or stem job losses, Starbucks said. 

Cincinnati -- Most consumers hold strong positive attitudes on the quality of service they receive from U.S. businesses, according to new research from customer relationship management company Convergys Corporation.  Among the top findings of the research: nearly nine out of 10 consumers believe that service improved or stayed the same over the past year, and an impressive seven out of 10 say they were either “extremely” or “very” satisfied with their most recent service experience.

The current economic climate has us all thinking more about retail expansion than perhaps over the last two to three years, but real estate disposition/portfolio optimization isn’t just on simmer. There’s still plenty of action in that arena, and Chain Store Age talked with Spence J. Mehl, SVP of New York City-based RCS Real Estate Advisors, about the latest happenings.

Johannesburg, South Africa — A Bloomberg report on Sunday said that Massmart Holdings Ltd., the South African retailer controlled by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., will open 23 new outlets over the next eight months, part of its plan to not only expand its coverage area but also to add jobs in the region. The plan calls for 15,000 jobs over the next three years.

The retailer also said it will repeat a price-cut promotion at its stores.

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — BJ's Wholesale Club officially is owned by Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners, just a few weeks after the retailer's stockholders approved the agreement.

BJ's was required in an all-cash transaction valued at $51.25 per share, or $2.8 billion.

BJ’s common stock will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange prior to the opening of business on Monday, Oct. 3, the companies said.

The deal was announced in late June after months of speculation. BJ’s board of directors unanimously approved the agreement.

Reduced fees for debit card transactions go into effect on Monday and the architect of the authorizing legislation, Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois, was feeling a lot of love from a retail industry that's convinced ample justification remains for even deeper fee reductions.

New York City -- The nation’s first lady did some shopping Thursday at a Target store in Alexandria, Va.

Mrs. Obama was casually dressed and virtually incognito with a baseball cap and sunglasses. She spent about 30 to 40 minutes in the store, according to reports, and was accompanied by an assistant.
 

Washington, D.C. -- Retailers and their customers will save billions of dollars when new Federal Reserve regulations cutting debit-card swipe fees roughly in half take effect this weekend, the National Retail Federation said.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — The chief investment officer of Trian Fund Management has been named to the board of directors at Family Dollar, the retailer announced.

Edward Garden's appointment as board member is effective immediately. With this appointment, Family Dollar's board expands to 11 directors.

New York City -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that consumer confidence in the United States slumped last week to the second-lowest level on record.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index dropped to minus 53 in the period ended Sept. 25 from minus 52.1 the prior week. Similar readings were reached three times in the first half of 2009 and surpassed only by all-time lows of minus 54 plumbed in November 2008 and again in January 2009.