Sales & Marketing

U.S. grocer taps former Lidl exec as new CEO
As German discount giant Lidl prepares to enter the U.S. market, Save-A-Lot is bringing in a new chief executive officer whose resume includes a 13-year stint at the European chain. The discount supermarket chain has appointed Kenneth McGrath as CEO, effective April 21, 2017. He succeeds Eric Claus, whose departure was described as a “mutually agreed” parting of the ways.
Off-price apparel chain revamps the front end
Forman Mills is on a growth spurt — now it needs its point-of-sale (POS) to grow with it. The off-price retailer has grown from a single store to a 36-store chain of “big box” warehouse-style stores across multiple states. As the retailer enters its next stage of expansion in connection with a recent investment from New York-based Goode Partners LLC, Forman Mills needed a front end solution that could support its growth, and drive more efficient checkout processes.

Ralph Lauren to reduce headcount, close flagship, deploy new online platform

Ralph Lauren Corp. is shaking things up—and cutting costs. The company, which has been struggling with weak sales, on Tuesday said it would reduce corporate staff, close its Polo flagship on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, and move its online platform to Salesforce’s CommerceCloud solution.
British retailer to make U.S. debut

A British lifestyle brand will open its first store in the United States this summer. The White Company will open a 3,000-sq.-ft. flagship in the Flatiron section of Manhattan. Described as the first international flagship of the brand, the store will stock a curated selection of lifestyle, homeware and fashion products. A selection of The Little White Company products featuring white baby clothes and nursery equipment will also be housed in the space.
Pet supplies giant acquires digital start-up

Petco has acquired a digital pet services company and, in so doing, got itself an experienced tech entrepreneur to drive its digital initiatives. Petco has purchased PetCoach, a pet advice web site and app that helps pet owners take better care of their pets, connecting them with veterinarians for personalized answers to their questions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Appliance, electronics retailer in deal with Aaron’s

Conn’s has found a new third-party lease-to-own partner. The retailer said it has formed a partnership with Progressive Leasing, a subsidiary of Aaron’s, to provide lease-to-own payment solutions to customers who do not qualify for Conn’s proprietary credit offering. Conn’s has entered into an exclusive three-year agreement with Progressive Leasing to offer Conn’s customers Progressive’s lease-to-own program.
Discounter in big RFID deployment

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.
Key executive out at J. Crew

The woman whose quirky, eclectic personal style came to define J. Crew — and who is the No.2 executive at the company — is leaving. Jenna Lyons, president and executive creative director, is stepping down from the struggling retailer. She will remain with J.Crew as a creative advisor until her contract expires in December 2017.
Study: Retailers aware of disruption, but fall short in taking action

Retail executives know their industry is going though fundamental and massive change, but that doesn’t mean they are taking action to deal with it.
Report upbeat about retail industry

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.

U.S. grocer taps former Lidl exec as new CEO

Off-price apparel chain revamps the front end

Ralph Lauren to reduce headcount, close flagship, deploy new online platform

British retailer to make U.S. debut

Pet supplies giant acquires digital start-up

Appliance, electronics retailer in deal with Aaron’s

Discounter in big RFID deployment

Key executive out at J. Crew

Study: Retailers aware of disruption, but fall short in taking action

Report upbeat about retail industry