Sales & Marketing

As a discount department store retailer, Kohl’s is targeting a middle-class consumer looking for decent quality merchandise at a fair price. Kohl’s array of in-store IT solutions reflects this “Middle America” marketing and merchandising approach by focusing on self-service technology that makes finding products and determining prices as quick and convenient as possible, rather than leading-edge solutions that might appeal to higher-income, connected shoppers.

Digital price display

New York -- Accenture and SAP AG are jointly releasing a new application called the Marketing Performance Solution by Accenture and SAP. Sold by Accenture, the solution enables retail chief marketing officers (CMOs) view and act on centralized key marketing performance data such as sales figures, media spend and social reach in near real-time.

The husband of a woman who died following a bizarre series of developments precipitated by a shopping trip to Walmart is pursuing an even more bizarre lawsuit alleging the retailer and its manufacturer of plastic bags are at fault.

New York -- Although back-to-school sales were unexpectedly sluggish, retail sales for the month of August benefited from a late boost in store traffic.

Of the retailers still reporting monthly sales – most so far are reporting slight increases in August same-store sales. Retail Metrics forecast an overall August gain of 3.2% year-over-year; retail sales advanced 3.3% during the same period last year.

Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a same-store sales rise of 4% in August, surpassing a forecast 3.8% gain.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s is adding designer Peter Som to its DesigNation limited-edition collection roster. Some is the fourth designer to join the team.

As part of the Kohl’s DesigNation concept featuring premier designer fashions based on international inspiration, the collection will draw creative influence from Som’s recent trip to St. Barths. The collection features apparel for women and will be available exclusively at Kohl’s and Kohls.com beginning spring 2014.

Houston -- Saks Inc. will open a new flagship store immediately adjacent to its existing location in the Houston Galleria, featuring 198,000 sq. ft. over two levels and a state-of-the-art store design. The current store will remain open until the new store opens in fall 2015. Once the old store closes, it will be converted to a two-level mall wing connecting the new Saks to Neiman Marcus and adding 35 retailers and restaurants.

When Walmart lowered its full year sales forecast last month the company said customer were being cautious with their spending. Maybe so, but that wasn’t the case in new car showrooms were automakers reported record sales and in the process created new holiday headwind for Walmart and other retailers.

The Woodlands, Texas - Conn’s, Inc. reported net income of $19.2 million, up $7.6 million, or 65.1%, from the prior-year period during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.

Consolidated revenues totaled $270.7 million, an increase of 30.5% from last year.

Same-store sales grew 18.4%. Sales increased significantly in product categories including home appliance, laundry, refrigeration, cooking, furniture, mattresses, TVs, tablets and computers.