Sales & Marketing

Alameda, Calif. -- Jamestown L.P., which owns Alameda (Calif.) South Shore Center, said that Go! Calendars/Go! Games has signed a four-month lease for a 2,356-sq. ft. space, beginning Oct. 1.

The company operates a year-round online store, but opens approximately 1,000 storefronts in malls during the holiday season.

The 594,000-sq.-ft., open-air Alameda South Shore Center offers a pop-up leasing strategy to accommodate temporary tenants, including Go! Calendars/Go! Games and, most recently, Pedal Beach, a beach rental and supply store.

New York -- The TJX Cos. turned in the strongest performance among the discounters in October, reporting a 7% comp sales increase on Thursday.

According to TJX CEO Carol Meyrowitz, the above-plan performance has prompted the retailer to raise its outlook for the third quarter and full year. “We believe the momentum we are seeing in all of our businesses … bode well for the holiday selling season,” she said.

TJX sales for the period advanced 11% to $2.1 billion.

PLANO, Texas — JCPenney has added limited-engagement collections from Lulu by Lulu Guinness, Jenny Packham and Double Happiness Vivienne Tam to its holiday assortment.

City of Industry, Calif. -- On the heels of its Wednesday report that the company gained just 0.2% in October same-store sales, Hot Topic Inc. also announced plans to test a new store that will specialize in dark, edgy lingerie.

Called Blackheart, the concept will target the company’s core teen customer and will debut with five stores in southern California and Texas malls as well as online offerings beginning in mid-November.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has launched its 2012 "12 Days of Giving" campaign by calling on Facebook users to once again nominate the nonprofits that are making an impact in their local communities and need support. Each of the "12 Days" will focus on a different giving theme, including hunger, military assistance and disaster relief.

By Shelley E. Kohan, [email protected]

When reviewing month-to­month sales results, saw tooth performance of 2012 has left many retailers wondering the fate of holiday this year. Early predictions for holiday comp sales results have hinted to low single digits.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco's sales for October rose 9% to $7.67 billion from $7.01 billion during the similar period last year.

Total comps for the month increased 7%, consisting of a 7% increase in the United States, and a 9% increase internationally. Excluding the impact of fuel, U.S., international and total same-store sales increased by 5% each.

Chicago -- ShopperTrak has acquired ReTel Technologies Inc. (ReTel), a Silicon Valley-based provider of hybrid video-auditing solutions and advanced shopper analysis.

ShopperTrak will integrate ReTel’s technology with its managed service to deliver an unprecedented level of shopper insights to retailers. Once available with ShopperTrak’s core offerings, the new capabilities will provide retailers with rapid access to customer demographics, queue analysis, speed-of-service and sales process effectiveness.