Target, Inc.

New York – Neiman Marcus reportedly first experienced a data security breach in July 2013 and did not fully resolve the issue until Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014. According to the New York Times, in a private call with credit card companies held Monday, Jan. 13, the time stamp on the first breach indicates it took place in mid-July.

In November of last year, Target opened a popup store featuring an exclusive collection of bath and body products by Sonia Kashuk in New York’s Grand Central Terminal. Now the retailer is preparing to launch an exclusive line of Sonia Kashuk makeup, beauty tools and cosmetic bags in March.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. will reportedly testify about its recent massive holiday data breach in a Congressional hearing in early February 2014. According to Reuters, a Congressional commerce, manufacturing and trade subcommittee headed by Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) will investigate large data breaches and their effect on consumers.

Coty has announced that Brian Falcone will serve as SVP sales, overseeing all sales activities for Coty Beauty U.S. mass brands.

Falcone will be responsible for field sales, customer marketing, category management, wall strategy and fixture planning.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. will invest $5 million in a multi-year campaign to educate consumers about cybersecurity and the dangers of phishing scams.

Target is investing $5 million in a coalition of cyber-security organizations to launch a marketing campaign to educate the public about phishing scams and security.

The coalition includes the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance, the National Cyber Security Alliance and Better Business Bureaus.

"Cyber-security is fast becoming one of the biggest marketplace challenges for businesses and a huge concern for their customers," Council of Better Business Bureaus president and CEO Mary Power said.

Washington, D.C. -- Two U.S. senators have written to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel seeking "detailed information'' on the data breach that occurred during the holiday shopping season, Reuters reported.

"We ask that Target's information-security officials provide a briefing to committee staff regarding your company's investigation and latest findings,'' John Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Claire McCaskill, chair of the Commerce ubcommittee on consumer protection, wrote to Steinhafel.

By Lee Peterson, WD Partners

If a sacred cow exists among retail strategists today, the price-match is undoubtedly it. As the weapon of first resort, it is the most obvious defense against the rapid rise of “showrooming” and the unbridled growth of online retailing behemoths like Amazon, ruthlessly cutting into retailers’ profits.