Marketing

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open two new stores in Louisiana on March 7. The stores are located in Juban Crossing in Denham Springs, and Magnolia Marketplace in central New Orleans.

With these new locations, Ross will operate 15 stores in Louisiana. Together, Ross Dress for Less and DD’s Discounts currently operate more than 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.
 

New York -- Fast-growing VF Corp. continues its aggressive expansion. After opening 75 stores in the fourth quarter, the company plans to open a total of 150 stores this year.

VF, whose banners include Timberland, The North Face, Vans, Wrangler, Lee and Nautica, has long been known for selling products through other retailers. But in recent years it has stepped up its direct-to-consumer business via aggressive store expansion, and the channel is steadily accounting for a larger percentage of sales.

How do you mold a large workforce with a significant part-time segment into experts in home improvement so customers get the answers they need every time they walk in the doors of The Home Depot?

It requires committed associates, strong leaders, and innovative learning solutions.

By Michelle A. Thompson, Director, Learning, Home Depot University

How do you mold a large workforce with a significant part-time segment into experts in home improvement so customers get the answers they need every time they walk in the doors of The Home Depot?

It requires committed associates, strong leaders, and innovative learning solutions.

After opening 75 stores in the fourth quarter and with expectations for 150 units this year brand powerhouse VF Corporation has emerged as one of the nation’s fastest growing retailers.

VF is best known for brands such as The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Wrangler, Lee and Nautica that are sold through other retailers. However, rapid store expansion in recent years has seen the direct-to-consumer business steadily account for a larger percentage of sales.

Despite reporting a boost in fourth-quarter profits, Groupon says the impact of foreign exchange rates will affect first-quarter performance.

The e-commerce company posted fourth-quarter profit of 6 cents per share, up from 4 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue increased 20 percent to $925 million from $768 million.

Williams-Sonoma is leveraging the brand equity of a renowned culinary competition, not to mention famed celebrity chef Thomas Keller, to attract more foodies to its stores.

The retailer has been hosting events at stores across the country celebrating Team USA after its medal win at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition in January.

Puerto Rico is home to many retailers’ most productive units and now Saks and Nordstrom are looking to get in on the action when they open their first locations next month in the island’s new Mall of San Juan.

The mall is set to open March 26, two and a half years after breaking ground, and will contain a 138,000-sq.-ft. Nordstrom and a 100,000-sq.-ft. Saks. The property also includes a hotel and a casino.

There’s a reason why so many shoppers love Wegman’s. A Valentine’s Day promotion spotted the day before the holiday in a Buffalo-area store featured twin ribeye steaks, packaged ready-for-the-flame in a disposable, heart-shaped broiler pan.

New York -- Twitter plans to acquire Niche, a startup that pairs content creators popular on such social media platforms as Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter's own Vine with brand advertisers.

Niche, founded in 2013, provides social media creators – its stable includes more than 6,000 – with free, cross-platform analytics on desktop and mobile, and serves as a non-exclusive talent rep to facilitate branded content deals with its network of companies and agencies.