Sales & Marketing

Pacific Sunwear is one step closer to more secure in-store payments.   PacSun is working with BTM Global to implement and integrate EMV (Europay, Mastercard, Visa) software that will support the global stand-ard for credit card and debit card payments. The implementation will roll out across more than 494 stores in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, a move that will strengthen payment security and protect its customers’ data.    

A jolly holiday season helped Gap Inc. post fourth-quarter earnings and sales that beat expectations, leading to speculation that the chain’s turnaround may be starting to take hold.    The nation’s largest apparel retailer reported net income of $220.0 million, or 55 cents per share, up from $214.0 million, or 53 cents per share, last year.   Sales totaled $4.43 billion, up from $4.39 billion and ahead of the $4.41 billion analysts had expected.   

Nordstrom Inc. reported better-than-expected profit for its fourth quarter amid a strong performance by Nordstrom Rack and cost cuts.    The department store retailer reported that it earned $201 million, or $1.15 per share, for the quarter ended Jan. 28, compared with $180 million in the year-ago quarter. Excluding certain items, the adjusted earnings came to $1.37 per share. Analysts had estimated $1.15 a share on average.  

CBRE has brought in a former Sears executive to help retailers monetize under-performing retail space through partnerships with outside brands.   Kevin Marschall, formerly director of strategic partnerships and licensed business at Sears, has joined CBRE as a store-within-a-store specialist in the company’s retail partnerships unit.  

Bartaco, an expanding food and beverage concept that combines beer, fresh-squeezed juices, and yes, tacos, will debut in Texas at Trademark Property’s WestBend development in Fort Worth.   The mixed-use facility just completed construction on its first phase, which includes office as well as retail space and aims to create a new hub of activity near the campus of Texas Christian University. It features new landscaping, gathering areas along the Trinity River and Trinity Trails, along with a rotating public art program.

Pret a Manger has signed leases for four new stores in Manhattan and renewed leases on three others, reported RKF, which handled the lease agreements.   In its third location at Penn Station, Pret will debut its wine bar concept for the first time in the U.S. This shop will be located near the station entrance on 34th Street and 7th Avenue. The fast-casual chain’s other new locations in the Big Apple will be on West 27th Street in Chelsea, Park Avenue and 39th Street, and in Midtown at 53rd and Broadway.  

Despite strong online volume, low store traffic translated into weak fourth quarter sales for Kohl’s.   For the quarter ended January 28, 2017, the department store chain’s profits fell 15% to $252 million, or $1.44 per share, from $296 million for the same period last year. Meanwhile, revenue dropped 2.8% to $6.21 billion, from $6.39 billion in 2015. Yet, the company still exceeded analysts’ expectations of revenue hitting $6.2 billion, or $1.32 per share.  

The increasing use of smartphones has drastically impacted the consumer's path to purchase — and the momentum continues.   Most online U.S. consumers (60%) now use mobile technology for shopping, and two thirds (67%) searched online for additional product information, according to “The Consumer Technology Association's (CTA) Path to Purchase Using Mobile Devices Market Research report.”