Supply Chain & Merchandising

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax has launched a new search engine with content and navigation improvements on its OfficeMax WorkplaceSM business-to-business e-commerce site, OfficeMaxWorkplace.com. Since phasing in improvements last month, all aimed to deliver a streamlined online shopping experience, the site has experienced increases in conversion rate, average revenue per visit and positive customer feedback.

Columbia, S.C. -- Golfsmith International is opening its first South Carolina store, in the state capital of Columbia, with a grand opening celebration on May 3 to May 5.
   
The 23,500-sq.-ft. store is part of Golfsmith's aggressive growth strategy in the Carolinas. Adding to its current Raleigh location, the company recently expanded with new stores in Charlotte and Greensboro — with another new store opening in Myrtle Beach later this spring.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. reported upticks in net income, sales and same store sales for first quarter fiscal 2013. Net income grew from $156,000 to $7.5 million.

Net sales were $246.5 million, up from $218.3 million a year earlier, while same-store sales rose 10.5%. First quarter sales improved despite the negative impact of the calendar shift of the Easter holiday, when the retailer’s stores are closed.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. returned to a profit in the first quarter, but sales were hampered by unseasonably cool weather. The company said net income for the three months ended April 6, after paying preferred dividends, totaled $500,000. That compares with a loss of $1.2 million in the year-ago period.

Revenues for the first quarter of 2013 were almost $1.1 billion, up from $936 million for the same period last year. Jones Group CEO Wesley R. Card said that weather and other factors impacted the business both domestically and internationally.

Ocean Springs, Miss. - A new e-commerce site providing hanging kitchen pot racks and wall racks, HangingintheKitchen.com, opens today.

The site continually updates inventory and also offers social media pages on Twitter and Facebook that offer product reviews, special offers and tips.

MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills has released its 2013 Global Responsibility Report, which outlines the company's progress and commitments in the areas of health, environment, sourcing, workplace and community engagement. 

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway announced that Robert Edwards, currently the company's president, will succeed Steven Burd as CEO when Burd retires as chairman and CEO on May 14. Edwards, 57, will also join the company's board of directors.

"Since he arrived here in 2004, Robert has successfully met every challenge he has faced," Burd said. "He has demonstrated the ability to lead the company in all facets of its operations, and has earned the respect of the entire organization."

MINNEAPOLIS — Best Buy is leaving the European market. The company is selling its stake in a joint European venture with U.K.-based consumer electronics retailer Carphone Warehouse Group PLC for cash and stock worth about $775 million USD.

Best Buy Co. will also pay Carphone 29 million pounds (about $45 million) related to existing agreements that will be terminated when the deal closes. The U.S. retailer also said that it will incur an approximately $200 million asset impairment charge related to the stake sale.