Supply Chain & Merchandising

MINNEAPOLIS — Winmark Corporation, franchisor of four value-retail store concepts, is developing a new concept focused on reselling women's apparel and accessories.

Winmark Corporation operates 968 franchises under the Plato's Closet, Play It Again Sports, Once Upon A Child and Music Go Round brands, all of which buy, sell, trade and consign gently used merchandise. The franchisor intends to market the new retail concept to savvy and frugal shoppers.

PLANO, Texas — Former Procter & Gamble executive Joe Crafton has been named CEO of Crossmark, a leader in sales and marketing services in the consumer goods industry. Crafton, who served as president of Crossmark until his promotion, succeeds John Thompson, who has been CEO since 2010.

Atlanta – Predictix announced that Crate and Barrel is implementing a broad suite of planning solutions from Predictix, including merchandise financial planning/merchandise financial management, assortment planning and item planning.

The Predictix solutions are being deployed across all Crate and Barrel brands — Crate and Barrel, CB2 and The Land of Nod — and will go live this quarter as part of a strategic plan to optimize the retailer's planning processes.

NEW YORK — Despite caution among consumers, retailers wrapped up 2012 with a healthy holiday shopping season, according to a new report by a retailing trade group.

The National Retail Federation said that holiday retail sales increased 3% over the year before, to $579.8 billion. December retail sales increased 0.8% seasonally adjusted from November and 2.1% unadjusted year over year. Nevertheless, the 3% increase was still below the NRF's projected 4.1% growth. Meanwhile, nonstore holiday sales grew 11.1%.

BALTIMORE, Md. — Barcoding, Inc., a leader in the automated data collection market, has promoted Shane Snyder to president. He succeeds Jay Steinmetz, who founded the company and remains the company’s CEO.

As president, Snyder will direct Barcoding’s day-to-day business operations and lead expansions into traditional markets.

Target is relying on two new services providers to operate its mobile business following an end to its short-lived relationship with RadioShack.

New York -- Total holiday retail sales increased 3% to $579.8 billion, below the National Retail Federation s projected forecast of 4.1%. Non-store holiday sales grew 11%, below the 12% growth forecast by Shop.org. (The NRF sales figures exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants.)

“For over six months, we’ve been saying that the fiscal cliff and economic uncertainty could impact holiday sales. As the number shows, these issues had a visible impact on consumer spending this holiday season,” said Matthew Shay, CEO, NRF.

New York -- Walmart plans to significantly boost its sourcing from domestic suppliers over the next decade. The plan was announced during an address by Bill Simon, Walmart U.S. president and CEO, at the National Retail Federation's annual convention in New York. Simon also announced the company is committed to helping part-time associates who want to be full time, make that transition.