Strategy

New York -- Global beauty sales, already a nearly $400 billion market, is on the verge of explosive growth from emerging markets, but will see an industry in flux as consolidation and technology disrupt channels of distribution, according to Fung Business Intelligence Centre’s just-released Global Beauty Report.

In the South, it’s never too early to talk about football, which is why N.C.-based department store Belk made a big college football announcement this week.

The chain says it will be the title sponsor of the 2015 Belk College Kickoff Game, featuring the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. The game is set to take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Sept. 3 with a 6 p.m. kickoff.

Minneapolis -- Quantum Retail Technology, a provider of merchandise optimization and inventory solutions for retail, announced that The Children's Place has selected Quantum's Q Analytics for Size and Pack Optimization. The solution joins The Children's Place's implementation of Quantum's Q for Allocation and Replenishment, due to go live this year, and their planned implementation of Quantum's Q for Order Planning.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot Inc. on Tuesday reported a first-quarter net profit of $45 million, compared with a loss of $109 million in the year-ago period. Its results met analysts’ expectations.

The office supply retailer said excluding non-recurring items, including costs associated with the planned acquisition of Office Depot by Staples Inc. adjusted earnings per share were 13 cents, matching the FactSet consensus.

New York -- NetSuite Inc., a provider of cloud-based financials, ERP and and omnichannel software suites, said that boardsports retailer Billabong International Ltd. selected NetSuite SuiteCommerce to help transform customer interaction with its brands through the implementation of a new global omnichannel platform.

The platform will be progressively rolled out across the retailer to provide a true omnichannel experience across its wholesale, retail and ecommerce operations.

Sam’s Club is celebrating National Small Business Week in a very big way.

The retailer is launching the Small Business Economic Mobility initiative (SBEM), a five-year investment in small business growth through increased access to capital and borrower education, with grants totaling $13.6 million to eight national nonprofits.

A major Canadian grocery chain has a new partner in its quest to improve its omnichannel capabilties.

Metro Inc. has partnered with XCCommerce Inc. to install XCCommerce’s Promotion Solution Suite in support of Metro’s omnichannel promotion and targeted coupon strategy.

Store closures led Office Depot sales to decline in the first quarter, but the retailer still reported a sizable bump in profit.