Supply Chain & Merchandising

The president and CEO of Macy's, Jeff Gennette, and Google's president of global partnerships, Daniel Alegre, will be among the headliners at Shoptalk 2018, the nex-gen retail and e-commerce event.   Also on the bill: Alon Cohen, president and co-founder of Houzz, the home furnishings and design site. Shoptalk's final agenda will feature more than 400 speakers, an increase of 25% over 2017’s event.  

Amazon is further bolstering its presence in The Wolverine State.   The online giant will open a new, 1 million sq. ft. fulfillment center in Shelby, Michigan. The building is set to open in 2018.   The warehouse will focus on picking, packing and shipping large items, like household decor, sporting equipment and gardening tools. These operations will be managed by approximately 1,000 associates, according to Amazon.  

Early signs from retailers indicate a hot job market for workers this holiday season.    Despite store closures and consolidation within the industry, retailers are signaling that there might be high demand for seasonal jobs, according to a forecast from global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.   

DSW Inc. is making good on its promise to create a foothold in the Persian Gulf.   The footwear giant opened of its first warehouse store in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new 15,000-sq.-ft. store is located at the Mall of Dhahran.   

Target associates are using new devices to complete their daily tasks.    After using iPod Touches for the last three years to manage stock, pull items, and handle other essential sales floor duties, Target is now putting Android devices into its associates’ hands, according to Gizmodo.   

Phillips Edison & Company has acquired a center anchored by Mariano’s grocery in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates.   The 159,443-sq.-ft. Hoffman Village was left two-thirds vacant when Dominick’s closed in 2011, but the emergence of Mariano’s Fresh Market, owned and operated by Roundy’s, returned occupancy back to 94%, according to former owner NewQuest.  

Target Corp. announced a major investment for the holiday shopping season.    The discounter said it plans to hire approximately 100,000 employees for the upcoming holiday season, which is up about 40%.    Additionally, Target will hire 4,500 workers at the company’s distribution and fulfillment centers to replenish products to stores and fulfill digital sales throughout the season.   

Amazon is looking to take advantage of Mexico’s growing e-commerce industry.   The online giant is planning to open a 1 million sq. ft. warehouse near Mexico City, according to Reuters. Scheduled to open next year, it would be the company’s third distribution center in the country.