Retail

Manners mistress Emily Post wouldn’t recognize today’s social skills.

Communication styles have changed, with the once-mandatory handwritten thank-you note supplanted by a tweet or a family email blast. These days, good table manners are far less important than proper posting protocol.

The physical store remains the centerpiece of the purchase journey, according to a study by PwC. The report, "Demystifying the Online Shopper," addresses myths about multichannel retailing and offers some ideas to help retailers keep up with their customers. Here's a recap:

Savannah, Ga. -- Citi Trends reported Friday a fourth quarter loss of $704,000, narrowed from a $5.3 million loss in the same period last year.

Revenue slipped 2% to $175.7 million, meeting Wall Street forecasts. Same-store sales plummeted 11.8%.

Minneapolis -- A Friday report by Bloomberg said that coffee purveyor Caribou Coffee has lost interest in opening shops inside J.C. Penney Co. stores.

The revelation comes just six months after Penney CEO Ron Johnson announced Caribou Coffee as a potential partner.

Caribou CEO Mike Tattersfield said in a Friday emailed statement that the company “does not have plans to move forward with a partnership at this time.” Tattersfield has not elaborated on the reasons for the change of heart.

New York -- Google came out on top, followed by Amazon and Apple, in a new survey by market research company Ipsos called “The Most Influential Brands in the United States 2013.” The survey, which asked U.S. consumers to rate 100 leading brands on a wide variety of attributes, determined that the dimensions or factors that drive a brand’s influence are: engagement; trustworthy; leading edge; corporate citizenship; and, presence.

Minneapolis -- Scott Kennedy was named president of Target financial and retail service to replace long time finance executive Terry Scully.

Scully spent nearly 35 years with Target and is moving into a strategic advisory role to ensure the smooth transition of the recently sold credit card portfolio to TD Bank Group. Scully, 60, will officially retire in March 2014. Filling his shoes as head of financial and retail services is Scott Kennedy, 44. He joined Target in 2005 and currently serves as VP of pay and benefits.

By Greg Kefer, [email protected]

The latest study on the risk posed by supply chain disruptions by Deloitte just hit the news. Executives were surveyed regarding feelings (or fears) about their exposure to unexpected events in their global supply chains. As you can imagine, most feel unprepared and report disruptions have become more costly. Negative outcomes in the global supply chain like costly margin erosion and demand change are all too common for most companies.

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. -- Walt Disney World Resort announced the multi-year transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs, which will feature an eclectic and contemporary mix of stores, dining options and entertainment experiences  from Disney and other noteworthy brands.