Store Systems

Change at the top is an inevitable fact of life in any profession, and retail is no exception. While the reasons behind the need to find a new chief executive vary widely, the incoming executives face a common challenge: taking the business — be it faltering or thriving — forward without missing a beat.

Despite the challenges in its category, Birmingham, Ala.-based book retailer Books-A-Million has embarked on an aggressive growth plan that added 41 new units to its store count in October and November 2011. The expansion, which put the 250-store retailer squarely in the No. 2 bookseller slot after Borders’ liquidation earlier in the year, has been accompanied by a newly honed focus on improving its loss-prevention program system-wide.

Westboro, Mass. -- Micros-Retail, a division of Micros Systems, said Wednesday that Barneys New York has launched the Micros-Retail miStore mobile point-of-sale solution in its flagship New York store, starting this holiday season. 

The physical and virtual retail worlds continue to converge thanks to innovative technology, especially as consumers rapidly adopt digital solutions and apply them to their retailing experiences.

“Consumer-driven solutions are what keep customers at the epicenter of the shopping experience, and that’s what retail is all about,” said Sahir Anand, VP and research group director for Aberdeen Group, Boston.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Discount retailer Stein Mart named Hunt Hawkins COO and expanded his responsibilities to include store operations and e-commerce at the 263-unit chain. Hawkins previously served as EVP and chief administrative officer with responsibility for information technology, supply chain and human resources, responsibilities he will retain in his new role.

New York City -- It’s true: Everything old is new again. New York City’s retail maven, Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Retail Leasing, Marketing & Sales Division, has put together a list of her favorite store makeovers of the past year. As Consolo notes, even the most iconic stores must constantly present a new, fresh face to keep shoppers coming. Here are her faves:

By Jacob Thompson

Mobile payments provide retailers an opportunity to take advantage of the newest method of payment. The Center of Retail Research recently released some interesting figures, numbers that clearly shows the growing trend of customers using mobile money. It also predicted that about one out of every 10 shoppers would purchase a gift this holiday season using a mobile device. 

York, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores announced it has signed a new, multi-year private-label credit card program agreement with Alliance Data, a provider of loyalty and marketing solutions.