Strategy

New York - The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index moved down again in September, showing the second month of small declines. The Index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples announced a new price match policy that the company said ensures customers pay the lowest price – both in stores and online. Staples said it will price match items sold and shipped by Amazon.com or any retailer who sells products in both retail stores and online under the same brand.

Safeway plans to exit the Chicago market where it operates 72 supermarkets under the Dominick’s banner by early 2014 after posting third quarter profits that were roughly half those of the comparable period the prior year.
The decision to exit Chicago follows similar move earlier this year when Safeway announced the sale of its Canadian operations.

New York -- Whole Foods Market has signed a lease for a 29,000-sq-ft. store in Newark, N.J., according to the Newark Star-Ledger.

The store is expected to be an anchor tenant in a 112-year-old landmark building that was once occupied by the Hahne & Co. department store. The building is being converted into a multi-use space that will feature apartments, retail and office space.
The project is a joint partnership between the Newark-based Hanini Group and L&M Development Partners of New York.

Retail Process Engineering, an innovative retail merchandising and supply chain solutions provider, has appointed Tom DiPinto as an account executive. 

DiPinto has more than 20 years of experience in enterprise class software solutions with deep experience in retail, project management and systems implementation. He will be responsible for identifying new clients and working with existing clients to align software solutions with business objectives to improve processes, grow the business and save money. 

New York — Planet Fitness has net leased a freestanding building on Fulton Street, a major retail corridor in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. From basement to second floor, the three level building will encompass 22,500 sq. ft. with 7,500 sq. ft. on the ground floor. The second floor is currently under construction, and the entire building is being renovated to fit the gym concept.

Crown Retail represented Planet Fitness, while Winick Realty Group represented the landlord, Infinity Real Estate LLC.

Philadelphia -- More than three-fourths (79%) of retailers expect an increase in sales this holiday season – the highest percentage seen since the financial downturn. That’s according to global management consultancy Hay Group’s seventh annual retail holiday survey, whose results were more optimistic that several other holiday forecasts.

L’Oréal is expanding its relationship with Demandware, a cloud commerce solutions provider, and will use the Demandware Commerce platform to power the digital transformation strategy of its brand portfolio around the globe.