Business Analytics

Ann Inc. may be in talks with at least two potential buyers, according to a report this month from Bloomberg.

The $1.6 billion owner of the Ann Taylor and Loft women’s clothing stores said in an October regulatory filing it planned to review strategic options and that it is working with JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Ann Inc. may be in talks with at least two potential buyers, according to a report this month from Bloomberg.

The $1.6 billion owner of the Ann Taylor and Loft women’s clothing stores said in an October regulatory filing it planned to review strategic options and that it is working with JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Ann Inc. may be in talks with at least two potential buyers, according to a report this month from Bloomberg.

The $1.6 billion owner of the Ann Taylor and Loft women’s clothing stores said in an October regulatory filing it planned to review strategic options and that it is working with JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Schenectady, N.Y. – Price Chopper Supermarkets will deploy Retail 20/20 exception-based reporting to replace its legacy exception reporting application. Price Chopper, which operates grocery stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, selected Retail 20/20 for its advanced reporting engine and intuitive interface.

By Jim Haller, NPI

The words “raising rates” are enough to elicit a face-in-palms reaction from any online retailer – especially when it comes to small parcel shipping. Yet, a different reaction may be in order as the United States Postal Service announces its intent to raise rates later this year.

London – Leading U.K. supermarket chain Tesco plc is reportedly considering laying off as many as 10,000 employees in response to poor profit performance. According to the Sunday Telegraph, Tesco may lay off up to 6,000 employees from its head office and 43 stores the retailer already announced it will close, and eliminate the rest by streamlining operations.

Jobs eliminated by streamlining would include executive positions. In January, Tesco said it would shutter 43 stores with as many as 2,000 resulting layoffs.
 

Armonk, N.Y. - Consumers headed online for their Valentine’s Day shopping this year. According to IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark data, during Valentine’s week (Feb. 7 – 13) online shopping rose 10.2% from the same period in 2014.

In addition to overall sales, consumers ramped up their shopping efforts the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. Growth was seen in key verticals including:

New York -- Fast-growing VF Corp. continues its aggressive expansion. After opening 75 stores in the fourth quarter, the company plans to open a total of 150 stores this year.

VF, whose banners include Timberland, The North Face, Vans, Wrangler, Lee and Nautica, has long been known for selling products through other retailers. But in recent years it has stepped up its direct-to-consumer business via aggressive store expansion, and the channel is steadily accounting for a larger percentage of sales.

How do you mold a large workforce with a significant part-time segment into experts in home improvement so customers get the answers they need every time they walk in the doors of The Home Depot?

It requires committed associates, strong leaders, and innovative learning solutions.

By Michelle A. Thompson, Director, Learning, Home Depot University

How do you mold a large workforce with a significant part-time segment into experts in home improvement so customers get the answers they need every time they walk in the doors of The Home Depot?

It requires committed associates, strong leaders, and innovative learning solutions.