Supply Chain & Merchandising

Major retailers have successfully faced down emerging e-tailers and their aggressive pricing tactics by upgrading their e-commerce platforms and readjusting their pricing to strengthen their hold on shoppers. To fully complete their turnaround, however, they must judiciously apply bricks and mortar to their competitive advantage.

According to Cognizant’s fourth annual survey, “2013 Shopper Experience Study: Rise of the Individual Shopper,” consumers still value the in-store experience, but have exceedingly higher expectations.

The nation’s largest arts and crafts retailer plans to go public this year and the launch of a new ecommerce platform that gives Michaels Stores long overdue online sales capabilities is a key element of its growth strategy.

Ken Morris, principal, Boston Retail Partners, recently took the time to explain how real-time retailing and how the concept of “unified commerce” allows stores themselves to become networks for customer engagement.

What is real-time retailing, and how does it benefit retailers and their customers?

Retailers subject to increasing — and costly — environmental scrutiny

“I’m a retailer, not a hazardous waste producer.” If that’s what you think, you may be wrong.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced today plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at The Shops at SkyView Center in Queens, N.Y., and another at Lake Brandson Plaza, Brandon, Fla. Both stores are scheduled to open in fall 2014.

Nordstrom Rack is set to open its first Brooklyn, N.Y., location on Fulton Street in spring 2014 followed by a second location at the Gateway Center in Brooklyn, in the fall. When it opens, The Shops at SkyView Center Nordstrom Rack will be the company's first Queens location.

Columbus, Ohio – The Limited is extending its partnership with predictive analytics provider First Insight, Inc. to help make faster and more accurate design, buying and pricing decisions, thereby reducing markdowns and mitigating risks associated with new product introductions.

First Insight engages The Limited customers through online social engagement tools to gather real-time data on new products. This data is filtered through First Insight’s predictive analytic models to determine which products present the greatest opportunity.

ChannelAdvisor, a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions, has appointed Diana Semel Allen as VP and general counsel. In her new role, Allen will oversee the company’s worldwide legal functions, including regulatory compliance, commercial affairs, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and intellectual property management.

New York City-based home furnishings retailer Gracious Home has named Rob Morrison as its new chief operating officer. The former Lumber Liquidators executive begins his new role Jan. 6.

At Lumber Liquidators, Morrison was senior VP of stores and operations, a position he held since January 2006. He was also president of Artistic Tile from 2004 to 2005.