Sales & Marketing

Ron Boire was named president and CEO of Sears Canada after serving in that capacity on an interim basis since last October.

Boire was named acting president and CEO last October to replace Doug Campbell, the former head of the 381 unit Sears Canada operation who resigned for personal reasons. Boire was identified as the top candidate for the job at the time the appointment was made as he had spent nearly two years as executive vice president, chief merchandising officer and president of Sears and Kmart formats.

New York -- Ron Stoupa, a former Pep Boys and Bass Pro Shops marketing executive, has been appointed executive VP and chief marketing officer of, Sports Authority.

Stoupa will be responsible for leading the strategic development and oversight of the company’s marketing plans. The Englewood, Colorado-based company operates 466 locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

As recently as a year or two ago, “mobile retailing” was a major industry buzzword. Everyone was busy trying to figure out how to best “mobile-enable” their enterprise.

Cost Plus World Market is giving movie lovers until Feb. 21 to participate in an online contest that should help the Bed Bath & Beyond division build its email database.

The “Movie Lovers Sweepstakes” offers film buffs a chance to win one of four grand prize packages of free movies for a year (two tickets per week for 52 weeks) and a $1,000 World Market gift card by registering with their e-mail addresses and other personal information at worldmarketsweepstakes.com.

Buy online, pick up in store capabilities are being rolled out to all of Kohl’s nearly 1,200 stores this spring after a successful 100 store pilot program during the holidays.

And that just the beginning of the digital initiative the company has planned.

The addition of pick up in store to Kohl’s omnichannel offering puts the retailer on equal footing with others in the industry who have recognized in store pick up has quickly become a basic expectation shoppers have of retailers who operate physical stores.

New York -- Uniqlo will enter Canada in the fall of 2016, opening a store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto, and one at the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Uniqlo currently operates some 1,500 stores, with locations in Japan, Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the U.K. and the United States.

Former Pep Boys and Bass Pro Shops marketing executive Ron Stoupa has joined the Sports Authority as executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Stoupa will be responsible for leading the strategic development and oversight of the company’s marketing plans. The Englewood, Co.-based company operates 466 locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Things didn’t work for Target in Canada, but that hasn’t deterred Japan’s Fast Retailing Co., from announcing plans to enter the market with its UNIQLO format.

The company’s first stores aren’t expected to open until the fall of 2016 when two flagship locations offering budget priced apparel measuring 24,000 and 28,000 square feet are introduced in Toronto.