Strategy

New York – Specialty apparel retailer FullBeauty Brands has signed a long-term renewal agreement to continue receiving private label credit card services from Alliance Data Systems Corp. Alliance Data will launch the newly branded credit card programs tailored for FullBeauty Brands and work to enhance the company's long-term loyalty efforts through a new integrated rewards program.

Staples is expanding its omnichannel capabilities with a new service that hopes to take advantage of small business growth in 2015.

According to a new Staples survey conducted by Research Now, the majority of small business leaders (87%) are optimistic about the year ahead. To help small business customers drive growth in 2015, Staples has launched Print-to-Store.

Ankeny, Iowa – Casey’s General Stores Inc. beat Wall Street estimates with net income of $39.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, more than triple $12.65 million earned in the year-ago period. Steady decline in wholesale fuel costs and rising inside sales helped Casey’s achieve impressive profit growth.

Casey’s currently has 26 new and 11 replacement stores under construction. The retailer’s annual goal is to build or acquire 72 to 108 stores and replace 25 existing stores.

There has been a lot of discussion in the last several years about the strength of the grocery sector. I think it’s clear that a big reason behind that success has been the evolution of different formats and the explosive growth of a new generation of grocery concepts that represent a significant departure from the traditional grocery model.

Camp Hill, Pa. — For the first time in five years, Rite Aid on Tuesday celebrated a grand opening of a store built from the ground-up.
 

Washington, D.C -- The International Council of Shopping Centers applauded the introduction by Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) of the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015 in the 114th Congress. This legislation is aimed at ending the special treatment afforded online-only sellers at the expense of brick-and-mortar retailers, according to ICSC. It tracks closely with legislation that the Senate passed by an overwhelming, bipartisan majority in 2013.

Seattle – American innovation has been heading west since the development of the extra-durable Conestoga wagon in the 1700s. On March 17, Starbucks will continue the pioneer tradition by expanding its mobile order & pay system to the Pacific Northwest.

The mobile payment feature allows Starbucks mobile app users to place their order in advance and pick it up at a selected Starbucks location. It is seamlessly integrated into the Starbucks app and loyalty program.