Mass Merchant

A former executive at Sears Holdings Corp. has has been named president and CEO of Pier I Imports.     Alasdair James, 46, will take the reins of the home décor chain on May 1, 2017. He replaces Alex Smith, who was ousted from the company at the end of last year amid slumping sales.   

Michael J. Powers, a leasing veteran and principal in a progressive hair salon concept, has been promoted to senior VP and head of leasing at Starwood Retail Partners.   Prior to joining Starwood as VP of leasing in 2013, Powers helped found Salonspace, a concept that seeks to provide hair stylists with a workplace environment they can approach on their own terms. He is a leasing veteran of Simon Property Group, Steiner + Associates, and Glimcher Realty Trust.  

  A just-released analysis of the U.S. retail sector offers positive news for an industry that has been subject to some gloomy assessments in recent times.   Despite the rash of recent Chapter 11 filings and store closings, the U.S. retail sector as a whole remains incredibly strong and shows no signs of slowing down, according to a report by business intelligence firm Creditsafe USA.  

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court. Since vacancies on the bench are rare and the political stakes so high, few spectacles in Washington D.C. invite this level of drama. He was confirmed by the committee but when his nomination eventually goes to the floor of the Senate for a vote, the real fun will begin. (See “nuclear option.”) Lost in the hype is what his eventual seat on the court will mean to retail operators.  

Amazon has launched a new way for customers to shop its site without using a bank card or credit card.    Called Amazon Cash, the service allows consumers to add cash to their Amazon.com balance by showing a barcode at a participating brick-and-mortar store, with the cash then applied immediately to the consumer’s  online Amazon account.  Notably, Walmart already offers a similar type of service for customers without a credit or debit card, as does PayPal.   

Target Corp. is stepping up its inventory management.   The discount retailer is partnering with Avery Dennison to deploy radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to more than 1,600 stores. The deployment, described by the technology provider as the largest of its kind, will help Target  maximize inventory availability and deliver an enhanced shopper experience.   

Two regional grocers beat all the competition in and out of their category in a survey of customer experiences across 20 different industries.