Supply Chain & Merchandising

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Thursday morning announced it has named Janel Haugarth to lead its independent business organization, replacing Leon Bergmann, who has decided to leave the company.

New York -- Uniqlo, a division of Japan's Fast Retailing Co. Ltd, will launch its U.S. e-commerce site next week, a crucial part of its drive to earn $10 billion in overall North American sales by 2020, Bloomberg reported.

"By opening this e-commerce site now, we are able to cater to customers across the United States," said Uniqlo USA CEO Shin Odake in the Bloomberg report.

Uniqlo currently has five U.S. locations, including new sites in San Francisco and New Jersey, along with its other three in Manhattan.

ATLANTA — RedPrairie, a global supply chain and retail technology provider, has named Gary Conway as EVP and chief marketing officer. In this role, Conway is responsible for RedPrairie’s global marketing strategy, including corporate brand management, customer engagement, product strategy and marketing, and demand generation. Conway will report to RedPrairie CEO Michael Mayoras and become a member of the company’s executive leadership team.  

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — ChannelAdvisor, a provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions that enable retailers to increase global sales, has partnered with Kabbage Inc., an online provider of working capital for small businesses, to offer ChannelAdvisor customers direct access to a new source of funding in time for the 2012 holiday season.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has extended its free layaway program through Dec. 16. The program, announced in September, was originally slated to end on Oct. 31.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market has announced two new locations for Manhattan. The company said it plans to open a 39,000-sq.ft. store in the city’s Harlem neighborhood in 2015. The supermarket will be located in the middle of the area’s business district, on 125th Street and Lennox Avenue.

Sam’s Club cashiers could become an endangered species if an expanded test of a payment platform at a new club in Kansas City is embraced by members.

PITTSBURGH — Dick's Sporting Goods has launched its first-ever winter coat trade-in event.

From Oct. 21 through Oct. 27, customers can donate their gently-worn winter coats at their local Dick's store. Donated coats will then be distributed in the United States to those in need through a partnership with World Vision.