Retail

New York -- More than half (53%) of industry leaders believe that improving customers’ retail experience is essential to creating a successful mobile payments scheme, according to a recent survey by SAP.

The study, SAP’s third consecutive GSMA Mobile World Congress survey, found that the “secret sauce” for creating a better retail experience includes POS services such as near-field communication (28%), facilitating universal acceptance of mobile payments (25%) and location-based point-of-sale offerings (24%).

Hackensack, N.J. -- Crossroads Cos. said that frozen yogurt franchise RCD Frozen Treats will open a 1,750-sq.-ft. store at Riverfront Plaza, located in Hackensack, N.J.

RCD Treats is a franchise of Go Greenly.

Riverfront Plaza is a 130,000-sq.-ft. neighborhood shopping center anchored by ShopRite. Other national retailers and service providers at the center include Chase Bank, GNC, H&R Block, KFC, Radio Shack, Subway, Supercuts, Taco Bell and Verizon Wireless.

Philadelphia -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced Wednesday that it has closed the sale of Red Lion Plaza for Onyx Equities and Invesco Real Estate. A private buyer purchased the 229,204-sq.-ft. retail shopping center that is located in northeast Phildelphia, is 95% occupied, and anchored by Best Buy, Staples, American Signature and Planet Fitness.

Naples, Fla. -- Brixmor Property Group said that Big Lots will open a new store at Park Shore Shopping Center, located in Naples, Fla.

The 35,080-sq.-ft. store will open this year. Park Shore is owned and operated by Brixmor, based in New York City.

Burlington, Mass. -- Demandware, a leading provider of enterprise cloud commerce solutions, announced that Brooks Brothers launched a new e-commerce site on the Demandware Commerce platform.

Warrendale, Pa. -- rue21 announced that Stacy B. Siegal, the company's current VP, general counsel and corporate secretary, has been promoted to the additional position of chief administrative officer.

Siegal has served as the company's general counsel and corporate secretary since March 2010. In her expanded role, she will assume responsibility for human resources division while also retaining oversight of the company's legal matters, regulatory compliance and corporate communications.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. on Thursday reported a better-than-expected profit for its fourth quarter profit amid a surge in sales.

For the period ending Feb. 2, Kroger earned $461.5 million, compared to the year ago period when the company reported a loss of $306.9 million as pension costs dragged down results.

Revenue rose 12.8% to $24.2 billion. Same-store sales increased 3% for the quarter, excluding fuel. After adjusting for the extra week in the fourth quarter, total sales increased by 3.7% over the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011.

New York -- Gap Inc. said Thursday that its February same-store sales rose a better-than-expected 3% for the four weeks ended Feb. 25. Analysts expected a 2% increase.
   
The chain was due to release the sales figures after the market closed, but put them out at midday after they were found in a leaked transcript of prerecorded comments.

By division, same-store sales rose 2% at Gap and 6% at Old Navy. They fell 5% at Banana Republic.