Strategy

NAPLES, Fla. — The Retail Industry Leaders Association has appointed new members to its board of directors, including a new board chairman.

RILA said Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel was appointed RILA chairman of the board. Steinhafel, who previously served as vice chairman, succeeds Bill Rhodes, who currently serves as chairman, president and CEO of AutoZone.

Naples, Fla. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) announced the election of Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president CEO of Target Corp., as chairman of its board of directors.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as chairman of this exceptional group of industry leaders,” said Steinhafel. “Along with the rest of the Board of Directors, I value RILA and its efforts to champion issues that affect our industry, our workforce and our customers.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Jerry Throgmartin, executive chairman and former CEO of Hhgregg has passed away, Dennis May, president and CEO of the company announced Monday.

New York City -- Starbucks Coffee Co. plans to sell beer, wine and more upscale food, including hot flatbreads and small plates, in a small number of its locations in Atlanta and Southern California by the end of this. The company previously announced the same plans for about half a dozen stores in Chicago.

Currently, five stores in the Seattle area and one in Portland, Oregon, now feature the extended offerings.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot has acquired Redbeacon, an online home services platform connecting consumers with contractors for their home maintenance, repair and remodeling needs. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Redbeacon's leadership team will stay in place and will remain in San Mateo, Calif.
 

One thing merchants know about markdowns is they are best taken early and at a modest level to stimulate sales as opposed clinging too long to the belief goods will sell at full price only to realize steeper cuts are needed. Apparently this philosophy doesn’t apply in the financial services world where Target has temporarily suspended the sale of its credit card receivables portfolio on better terms.

New York City -- John Donahoe, president and CEO of eBay, during a Jan. 18 earnings call expanded on the test of PayPal with retailer Home Depot.

A division of eBay, PayPal is experimenting with extending its on-line payment system to point-of-sale retail locations. In the fourth quarter of 2011, it chose Home Depot as its first national retailer for a limited test at five stores. PayPal plans to widen the pilot to 51 stores in the Bay Area by the end of the month, Donahoe said.

NEW YORK — Retailers will have to rethink their position in the market, along with strategies they have used thus far, to keep themselves in the game, according to a new Deloitte report, "The Next Evolution: Store 3.0."