Sales & Marketing

New York -- Starbucks Corp. founder and CEO — and currently Time Magazine cover boy — Howard Schultz has lots of opinions about politics and the national agenda, but he is not interested in running for president in 2016.

“I don’t think that’s a solution. I don’t think it ends well,” Schultz told Time in a wide-ranging interview its Feb. 16 edition.   

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less will open two new stores in the Houston area on March 7.

The stores are located in the Center at Pearland Parkway in East Pearland, 15 miles from downtown Houston; and Ravenwood Village Shopping Center in Huntsville. With these new locations, Ross will operate 170 stores in Texas, its second largest state.

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

New York -- Companies are losing as much as 25% of online revenues an average per respondent of $92.3 million per year – to mobile fraud, according to a study by RSA and TeleSign, a provider of mobile identity verification solutions. Nearly one-third of organizations lost as much as 10% and up to 25% of revenues due to mobile fraud.

Brown Shoe Company has added the former CEO of Victoria’s Secret to its board of directors. 

“Adding Lori Greeley -- a well-known and highly-respected leader in retail -- to our board of directors gives us the benefit of her more than 20 years of experience,” said Diane Sullivan, CEO, president and chairman of Brown Shoe Company. “Her energy and passion for the business and her leadership skills will be a welcome addition to our company.”

Framingham, Mass. - Staples Inc. is launching a new brand campaign featuring the “Staples Guy,” who showcases how the company helps small business customers succeed. The new campaign, which features radio, digital and social media, builds on the tagline “Make More Happen” to highlight the value, convenience and services that help Staples customers achieve success in surprising and affordable ways. The national campaign begins Sunday, Feb. 8.

Cincinnati – Post-holiday returns serve as a way to ensure the stress of the holiday season lasts into the New Year. According to a survey of about 1,200 adults by loyalty program provider LoyaltyOne, one out of every two U.S. shoppers (51%) say that returning gifts adds to their post-holiday stress.

Paris – Valentine’s Day has its origins in ancient Roman times, but that doesn’t mean the holiday isn’t keeping pace with modern technology. By analyzing data from 48 million online transactions made via desktop, smartphones and tablets from more than 200 U.S. retailers, advertising company Criteo determined that three out of 10 Valentine’s Day purchases will be made on mobile.

The introduction later this month of an exclusive new beauty brand backed by a high profile celebrity is seen broadening Walgreens' appeal with a key shopper segment.

Walgreens has teamed up with actress Eva Mendes and beauty company Maesa to launch a multi-cultural beauty brand called Circa. The nationwide launch supports Walgreens' desire to increase accessibility to well-priced, diverse, specialty beauty offerings and reflects its commitment to owned brands.