Sales & Marketing

Cincinnati -- Macy’s said Tuesday it is piloting or launching a series of tech innovations designed to engage customers and drive sales.

Among the announced programs are free WiFi service in Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores to enable customer use of smartphone apps and in-store tablet shopping. The service, accessible by the end of October, will be activated in 230 Macy’s and nine Bloomingdale’s stores, as well as in the junior’s and young men’s departments of another 79 Macy’s stores.

Andover, Minn. -- Twin Cities grocery/fuel chain Bill’s Superette said Tuesday it has launched store management solutions from LOC Software.

The new system, which was fully rolled out with the support of reseller North Country Business Products in the spring of this year, is helping the retailer improve the management of all store-level and headquarters-level activities such as POS transactions, POS/keyboard maintenance, labor scheduling, in-store promotions, complete price book maintenance and the company’s loyalty program.

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Global Market Development Center announced that its members have elected two new board members to serve in two-year terms on their board of directors: Mike Petocchi, business group manager HBC/cosmetics with Wegmans Food Markets; and former GMDC chairman of the board, Jim Wonderly, VP grocery non-foods/GM Ahold USA.

New York City -- A series of retailer moves on Madison Avenue has allowed for expansion and improved adjacencies in one of Manhattan’s luxury shopping meccas.

According to Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group, Italian luxury sportswear retailer Paul & Shark has opened in the Hartz Mountain Building at 667 Madison Avenue, replacing Michael Kors. In turn, Michael Kors will move to the current Steuben store and open a new flagship when the glassmaker departs the space.

CINCINNATI — Consumer sentiment toward the economy continues to be negative, acknowledged David Dillon, Kroger chairman and CEO, a factor that may drive many consumers toward more of the value-driven store brands in which Kroger is investing.

"The sluggish economy continues to strain household budgets while increasing consumer anxiety," Dillon said. "In fact, customers tell us their expectation for the economy are more pessimistic now than at any time this year."

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended Aug. 27 plummeted 30% to $177 million from $254 million a year earlier, missing Wall Street expectations.

Salt Lake City -- Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based shopping center owner Taubman Centers announced Tuesday the first 20 retailers – all new to the market and most new to Utah – coming to City Creek Center, the 700,000-sq.-ft. retail component of mixed-used development City Creek in downtown Salt Lake City.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Tuesday that its entire website crashed due to unusually high demand for its just-released Missoni for Target collection. Various newspapers reported that the collection was flying off the shelves of stores, and that some stores were sold out within minutes.

The hotly anticipated Missoni line features some 400 items, ranging from housewares to apparel. It is Target’s largest, limited-time designer collection to date.