Transform SR Brands LLC

Hoping to lessen the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Sears Holdings and Uber are expanding its Rider Rewards program to 23 new markets.   The service, which launched this fall in New York City and Chicago, enabled Sears Shop Your Way loyalty shoppers to link their memberships to their Uber accounts. Every Uber ride they take earns them $2 in loyalty points.  

Beleaguered Sears has lost two of its top executives.   Jeffrey Balagna, Sears' executive VP, and Joelle Maher, Sears president and chief member officer both left the company within the past week, reported Business Insider.    Sears, which will report its third quarter earnings on Thursday, did not announce or explain the departures,  

Quincy Plaza in Ottumwa, Iowa, was purchased by Beaumont, Texas-based Albanese Cormier Holdings for $5.5 million. Mid-America Real Estate brokered the deal on behalf of a fund managed by Cincinnati-based Phillips Edison.   The 137,389-sq.-ft center is anchored by Kmart, Hobby Lobby, and Rent-A-Center in the southern Iowa retail hub on the Des Moines River. Quincy Plaza is located across the roadway from Target and the Quincy Place Mall.

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The South Plains Mall in Lubbock, a dominant retail center in the Texas Panhandle for 40 years, this week unveils a series of updates for customers.   The Macerich-owned mall has redesigned all three of its entrances, added new flooring and lighting throughout the building, and introduced amenities including center-wide Wi-Fi, charging stations, soft seating, and new restrooms.  

In October of this year, Periscope By McKinsey conducted online research of more than 1,000 consumers in the U.S. to understand their attitudes towards Black Friday and expected shopping patterns.   

Sears’ loyal shoppers will have the chance to preview holiday sales at an exclusive shopping event.  

Weakness in apparel helped make for a disappointing third quarter for J.C. Penney Co. as the retailer cuts its forecast amid sliding sales.   On the positive side, Penney said sales trends improved in October, fueled by increasing momentum behind its new appliance business.  

Neil Saunders, CEO of retail insights and consulting firm Conlumino, comments on J.C. Penney’s results for the third quarter in which sales came in under forecasts.   “After a good run of growth, J.C. Penney has faltered this quarter with both total and comparable sales slipping into negative territory. While the company is now overlapping some tougher prior year comparatives, this is nonetheless a disappointing outcome that takes the shine off some of the recent progress made under its recovery program.