Retail

Retailers that can improve ordering, fulfillment, delivery, and customer service are on their way to a holly, jolly holiday.   This is the message being conveyed by 500 shoppers surveyed in the “Consumers’ 2016 Holiday Shopping Expectations,” a report from Radi-al. Their responses revealed that they are not willing to negotiate when it comes to inventory visibility, free shipping or customer service this holi-day season.  

Construction is underway at a planned 185,000-sq.-ft. center that will bring a top-level roster of value retailers to the western Kentucky town of Hopkinsville. Thompson Thrift is the developer.   Hopkinsville Town Center, located just north of Clarksville on the Tennessee border, will count Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Ulta, Burke’s Outlet, Hibbett Sporting Goods, and Rack Room Shoes among its tenants when it opens in late 2017 or early 2018.  

Ralph Lauren has added some high-tech flourishes to its redesigned flagship on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Calif.    The 22,000-sq.-ft. store has an interactive handbag salon that allows shoppers to customize handbags — with options on monogramming, color and hardware — before the bag is actually produced, the Los Angeles Times reported.  

Walgreens on Tuesday enticed its shoppers with a new loyalty program tied to its beauty department with the launch of Beauty Enthusiast, a beauty club within its Balance Rewards loyalty program. Cardholders who register for Beauty Enthusiast gain additional rewards on beauty and personal care items, as well as other benefits.  

WalmartLabs’ newest project is giving comrades and competitors alike, a peek into its open-source software.   The retail behemoth has migrated its online platform to a React-based application platform over the last year, one that was built in-house by WalmartLabs. Now Walmart’s innovation division is open-sourcing this platform, reported TechCrunch.  

Two major retail organizations delivered some early holiday cheer to retailers.   The National Retail Federation and the International Council of Shopping Centers issued their annual holiday forecasts on Tuesday, and both predicted holiday shoppers will spend more this year than they did last year.   

American & Interstate Signcrafters, a full service sign manufacturing and project management company, has hired industry veteran Mike Morelli. He manages national, and international, sign programs and oversees business development in the southeastern United States   Morelli brings to the growing American & Interstate Signcrafters team years of experience leading retail, fashion, hospitality, and QSR sign and branding programs.   

Tools and storage giant Black & Decker is reportedly among the suitors interested in purchasing Sears’ Craftsman line of tools, Bloomberg reported.   Sears announced plans in May that it would consider options for its Craftsman, Kenmore and DieHard brands.