Retail

Stamford, Conn. -- Half of Americans (49%) plan to shop online earlier for gifts this holiday season, with the main reason being to ensure they receive their packages on time (63%), according to a survey by Pitney Bowes.

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Arizona on Oct. 11. The store is located in the Maryvale Plaza Shopping Center in Phoenix. This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

Together, Ross Dress for Less and DD’s Discounts currently operate more than 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.
 

Just three weeks after Alco appointed a brand new board of directors, the company reported a net loss of $7 million in the second quarter, compared to net earnings of $800,000 a year earlier, thanks in part to growing costs of advertising, new stores and store support.

Steamboat Springs, Colo. - Point6, a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of performance-oriented socks, has implemented NetSuite's cloud-based business management suite that provides the company with capabilities to run its core business operations including financials, inventory management, order management, fulfillment and warehouse management. This modernization effort has helped Point6 streamline the order to cash business process.

Kmart has unveiled its annual Fab 15 holiday toy list, a week after Toys “R” Us announced its Fabulous 15.

To help drive sales, Kmart has also unveiled a "Trending Toy Ticker" at Kmart.com/Fab15. The ticker continually updates the top-selling toys as the season progresses to help shoppers keep up to date with the latest trends.

Mooresville, N.C. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Lowe's Companies Inc. the highest honor for industry leadership in its SmartWay Transport Partnership. Lowe's received a 2014 SmartWay Excellence Award for superior environmental performance in supply chain operations.

By Francesca Nicasio, Retail Expert, Vend

Implementing rewards programs is a common best practice in retail for a host of reasons. These programs can increase sales, encourage repeat purchases, and can provide a wealth of data and insights into the shopping behaviors of customers.

Fort Myers, Fla. - Chico’s FAS is launching a digital charitable giving campaign powered by HelloWorld. The campaign features a Facebook-integrated microsite and a mobile optimized site that allows consumers to upload a photo and treat it with pink coloring and the hashtag #TOGETHER in honor of Breast Health Awareness Month.