Sales & Marketing

Exter, N.H. – Ice hockey equipment manufacturer Bauer Hockey has selected Epicor Retail solutions to power its first-ever retail stores. The stores , the first of which is set to open in the Boston suburb of Burlington, Massachusetts, in summer 2015 , will showcase the full Bauer product line, offer in-depth product education and will feature an ice rink where customers can test Bauer skates and gear.

It may not feel like it in many parts of the country, but spring, the busiest time of the year for home improvement stores, is just around the corner. And Lowe’s is wasting no time in getting ready.

The retailer said it plans to hire 30,000 employees at its stores in the United States during spring. 

Home Depot is sure to follow the move by Lowe's with its own hiring spree in the next few weeks, especially considering it hired as many as 80,000 seasonal employees in winter/spring 2014.

Naples, Fla. -- With only nine months until the EMV migration deadline, retail and technology professionals are still unprepared, according to a recent survey by ACI Worldwide. The survey was conducted in January 2015 at the National Retail Federation’s 104th Annual Convention and Expo, “The Big Show,” in New York.

Principle findings of the survey included:

New York -- Target Corp. is launching a brand new plus-size line, Ava & Viv, which will be sold both online and in stores starting on Feb. 22.

While this is not Target's first foray into plus-size fashion, the news does signify a new direction for the store. Not only does Ava & Viv boast a broad range of sizes, it was also created with great style in mind, something that previously seemed like less of a priority for the brand.

New York -- Ebay Inc.  plans to cut about 2,400 positions, or 7% of its workforce, across eBay marketplaces, PayPal, and eBay enterprise in the current quarter to simplify its organizational structure.

The company also said it will explore strategic options for eBay enterprise, including a sale or an IPO.

Cary, N.C. – SAS Institute Inc. has recently completed rollouts of CRM, logistics and marketing solutions at several European retailers. For example, Milan, Italy-based online wine retailer Wineverse chose SAS Visual Analytics to increase customer insights and reduce supply chain costs that result in greater customer satisfaction.

The restructuring of Walmart’s senior executive ranks continues with the latest round of appointments involving some familiar leaders in new roles with curious titles as well as some key resignations.

It's the end of an era for Safeway and Albertsons, as the companies announced they have completed their merger, ending a nearly year-long process that began in 2014.

AB Acquisition LLC, the owner of Albertson's and New Albertson's, Inc., will acquire all outstanding shares of Safeway. The merger will create a diversified network that includes 2,230 stores, 27 distribution facilities and 19 manufacturing plants with more than 250,000 employees across 34 states and the District of Columbia.