Data & Analytics

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples has appointed Faisal Masud as its new EVP of global e-commerce. In the newly created role, Masud will be responsible for leading online and digital growth. He will report to Demos Parneros, president of North American stores and online for Staples.

At Retail Live!, retailers exhibit, and developers, owners, brokers and others stop by to chat

In the retail real estate landscape, there aren't as many networking options as one might think. Even fewer if you narrow it down to those events that put landlords and tenants in the same room, along with entertainment, face-to-face meet and greets, and mutually beneficial educational sessions.

Editor's Note: Chain Store Age's 24th annual survey of Fastest-Growing Managers measures new domestic and international third-party management and leasing contracts obtained during the preceding calendar year (2012).

Last year's numbers were such that we couldn't limit our annual Fastest-Growing third-party managers listing to a top five; a sixth was added because the contract totals were that close.

Plano, Texas -- In preliminary results, J.C. Penney Co. on Tuesday reported that same-store sales in its first quarter decreased approximately 16.6%, a deeper drop than was expected.  

The company, which will report full results on May 16, said that it anticipates total sales of approximately $2.635 billion for the quarter, down some 16.4% from $3.152 billion in the same period last year.

After a successful pilot, Best Buy Canada is expanding its use of fully integrated, enterprise mobile point (mPOS) solutions on its selling floor. The new, tablet-based technology has improved customer service, including reducing checkout times, and staff productivity.

SAN DIEGO — Online fresh flowers retailer ProFlowers is launching a ProFlowers-branded store on eBay, extending its online reach.

The new ProFlowers eBay storefront features a broad assortment of fresh flowers, plants and product bundles including vases and chocolates, much like its existing online e-commerce site. Its eBay store also prominently features a “Deal of the Week” specially priced bouquet and vase.

Social media giant Facebook is generating lots of buzz with the debut of its app launcher, Facebook Home, which turns existing Android smartphones into a Facebook-centric mobile device. (App launchers are applications that allow users to customize the home screen on their personal devices and add various other functionalities to it.)

Thanks to the recession — and online retail — brick-and-mortar retailers are re-thinking their real estate concepts

Now, as the recession finally begins to lift, brick-and-mortar retailers are studying their real estate concepts and pondering what comes next.

Some will pare store counts, partially in response to online competition. Some will cut store square footage. Others are expanding store numbers and square footage. Some are expanding fulfillment center square footage. Some are not changing. Careful about that.

What are you doing? Is it what you should be doing?