Sales & Marketing

The omnichannel evolution has begun — and more retailers are adopting the business strategy to better meet shoppers’ needs.   That’s according to “Retail Insight: Moving Beyond Omnichannel,” a report from SPS Commerce and conducted by Retail Systems Research. The study, which is based on responses from more than 500 retailers, suppliers and logistics firms worldwide, said that more than 35% of retailers are on track with their omnichannel execution, up nearly 200% year-over-year.  

At Home has appointed veteran marketer Ashley Sheetz as chief marketing officer.   Sheetz was formerly chief marketing officer and group VP at Sally Beauty, where she led a turn-around strategy to reposition and modernize the brand. Prior to that, Sheetz held a variety of marketing leadership roles at GameStop before being appointed chief marketing officer in 2012.  

Retailers executives are bullish on 2017.   That’s according to a survey from TD Bank, which polled 173 retail executives at the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show in New York City. Seventy-four percent of the retailers said they believe sales will increase in the next 12 months. What’s more, 81% of the retailers reported that they met or exceeded their revenue goals in 2016.   In other key findings:  

The owner of one of the largest independent furniture chains in the country has sold his company to a private equity firm approximately 58 years after he founded it.  

The CEO of Lane Bryant has stepped down just four months after receiving a big promotion.      Linda Heasley has resigned as chief executive of plus-sized apparel retailers Lane Bryant and Catherines, which are owned by Ascena Retail, The New York Post reported. Heasley was appointed CEO of Lane Bryant in 2013, after a successful six year stint as chief executive of The Limited. She was given the additional title of CEO of Catherines this past October as part of a company reorganization.    

A combination of factors, including innovation, cross-border deal interest and the availability of cash reserves, bodes well for deal activity in the retail and consumer markets.   That’s according to a review by PwC, which reported that the retail and consumer deals market ended 2016 with an increase in deal volume and a decline in deal value when compared to 2015.   

The search is on for a new president of Banana Republic, which has had a hard time finding its footing amid dismal same-store sales results.     Gap Inc. said Tuesday that company veteran Andi Owen, global brand president for Banana Republic, will leave the retailer in late February. Gap CEO Art Peck will directly oversee the brand until the company finds a replacement.   

Besser Ace Hardware may be Arkansas's oldest hardware store, but modernized technology is making it more customer friendly.   The retailer, which was established in 1887, has served the downtown Little Rock community in its current location since the 1960’s. When the operator embarked on a complete remodel however, it was time to replace its previous point-of-sale system with robust software.