Sales & Marketing

New York - ATGStores.com, an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Lowe’s, has increased conversions by 14% with customized product videos from Treepodia. This represents a 5.5 times ROI based on the increase in sales.

ATGStores.com carries a selection of lighting, furniture, hardware, plumbing and home décor. The retailer had created its own “how-to-videos” to help customers with their own projects but wanted to create product videos on a large scale.

Washington, D.C. - The National Retail Federation (NRF) is hiring Mark Mathews as VP of research development and industry analysis. Mathews will develop, evaluate and direct research initiatives for NRF’s Retail Research and Analysis Center, which was announced in April.

Mathews brings more than two decades of research strategy and management experience to his new post.

Sales and credit delinquencies weighed on Conn's Inc. in the first quarter even as the company continues to explore the sale of its loan portfolio. 

Vernon, Calif. - True Religion Apparel Inc. has named John Ermatinger CEO, effective immediately. Current CEO David Conn is stepping down.

Ermatinger has been serving as True Religion’s interim senior VP of global sourcing and production will build on the strategic initiatives that have been implemented since TowerBrook’s acquisition in July 2013 and will guide the company into its next phase of development.

Online, as in stores, conversion is king when it comes to driving top line sales, which is why digital marketing services firm eClerx has developed a conversion rate optimization (CRO) solution that addresses online retailers’ most pressing problem.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys "R" Us on Tuesday named David A. Brandon, 63, the former chief executive of Domino’s Pizza, as its new chairman and CEO, effective July 1, 2015. He will succeed company veteran Antonio Urcelay, who was named CEO in November 2013, who is retiring from the retailer.

Hudson, Ohio -- Fabric and craft specialty retailer Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is one of the partners for Pinterest’s new Buyable Pins, which is the social networking site’s first crack at e-commerce. Buyable Pins allow consumers to complete the process of discovering a product, saving it to a board and buying it directly on Pinterest.

Vera Bradley Inc. has hired an executive with the Fossil Group to be its new chief marketing officer.

Vera Bradley announced that Theresa Palermo has been named CMO and will join the company on June 22.