Sales & Marketing

Toys “R” Us has appointed Campbell Lennox as managing director of the company’s Australia unit, effective May 26. Lennox will report to Monika Merz, president, Toys “R” Us, Asia Pacific.
 
Lennox joins the company with more than 20 years of retail and management experience, including a series of roles of increasing responsibility in operations and merchandising. He most recently served as GM, merchandise operations for Harvey Norman, an omnichannel retailer, incorporating an integrated retail, franchise, property and digital platform.

Chesapeake, Va. – Dollar Tree Inc. slightly exceeded Wall Street estimates with net income of $138.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, up 4% from $133.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. Net sales rose 7% to $2 billion from $1.87 billion, and same-store sales increased 2%.

Williams-Sonoma had a strong first quarter of fiscal 2014, with net income climbing 17% to a better-than-expected $46.16 million from $39.17 million.

Net sales grew 10% to $974.33 million from $887.8 million, also topping estimates.

Total same-store sales grew 10%. Williams-Sonoma credited much of its success during the quarter to market share gains and advantages conferred by its multichannel operations.

Boston - Cone Communications has launched its new social impact tool to help companies assess, communicate and prove their progress against addressing critical social issues. The Cone Social Return Assessment is a proprietary, diagnostic tool that uncovers gaps and opportunities within three elements critical to a company's successful program: awareness, engagement and impact, and provides a plan to optimize its business and social return.   

First quarter same store sales at Best Buy fell a greater than expected 1.3% due to declining sales of consumer electronics and competition from online retailers.

While the retailer experienced growth in computing, gaming and appliances, it was more than offset by declines in other categories, including tablets, services and home theater. President and CEO Hubert Joly focused on the positive, however.

Sunnyvale, Calif. - Modern shoppers have a very low tolerance for poor customer service, and crave a more intimate relationship where retailers know their needs, wants and preferences, and respect their time and business. According to an April 2014 research survey from customer engagement technology vendor Kana Software Inc., when asked about their preferred customer service communication channels used to engage with retailers in the past six months, the channel named most often as most preferred was Web (24.5%), followed by email (17.9%).

Minneapolis – Best Buy Co. Inc. swung to a net profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 from a net loss in the same period a year earlier, but missed estimates with a drop in sales. The retailer posted net income of $461 million, a big turnaround from a net loss of $81 million.

Fremont, Calif. - The Men's Wearhouse has extended its all-cash tender offer for $65 per share for all of the currently outstanding shares of common stock of Jos. A. Bank to June 5, unless further extended. The tender offer was previously set to expire on May 21.