News

Survey: Email marketers make customers feel welcome
You only get one chance to make a first impression, and retailers are applying this truism to their email marketing efforts. According to a survey of 150 retail clients by email marketing technology provider Campaigner, 39% of respondents say that the first email content new subscribers see from their brand is a thank-you-for-subscribing message. This approach seems to be working, as almost 50% of respondents report that 21% or more of new subscribers engage with such welcome emails.
Detecting Costly Refrigerant Leaks
An average food retail store leaks an estimated 25% estimated of its refrigerant supply per year. The majority of refrigerant leaks, which are caused by a number of factors, occur in racks and cases. For an individual store, this loss can add up to a sizeable annual expense; for a regional or national chain, the costs can be even more substantial. Additionally, associated labor costs and the potential loss of business because of service disruptions when fixing a leak should be factored in.

Proposed new food stamp rules would impact some retailers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering new regulations that could it make it difficult for smaller stores to accept food stamps.
Ex-Home Depot exec named head merchant at Sobey's

Sobeys Inc. has named a former Home Depot executive as the Canadian retailer's chief merchandising officer. Lyne Castonguay will oversee all aspects of Sobeys go-to-market strategy, with responsibility for category management, marketing, data insights, research, procurement, private label and merchandising as well as the company's digital strategy.
Ex-Home Depot exec named head merchant at Sobey's

Sobeys Inc. has named a former Home Depot executive as the Canadian retailer's chief merchandising officer. Lyne Castonguay will oversee all aspects of Sobeys go-to-market strategy, with responsibility for category management, marketing, data insights, research, procurement, private label and merchandising as well as the company's digital strategy.
Barnes & Noble Education loss grows in Q4; plans new stores

Restructuring costs helped increase fourth quarter net loss at Barnes & Noble Education Inc. to $2.8 million from $300,000 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015. Not all the fourth quarter fiscal news was negative, however. Total sales rose 8% to $294.8 million from $274 million, aided by a 4.5% increase in same-store sales.
Walmart casts wide net for American-made products to sell

For the third year in a row, Walmart hosted more than 450 entrepreneurs during the company’s “Made in the USA” Open Call event held Tuesday, June 28 at its corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. The event, part of Walmart’s fourth annual U.S. Manufacturing Summit, is designed to find products made, assembled or grown in the U.S.
Whole Foods gets whole picture of its business

Whole Foods Market, Inc. is teaming up with a well-known analytics provider to obtain a deeper understanding of its assortment and customer base. The specialty grocery chain has selected Nielsen as its primary U.S. analytics provider for POS data, consumer insights and industry metrics. Nielsen is working with the company to collaboratively create a customized natural and organic product hierarchy that will provide a comprehensive view of Whole Foods Market's product categories, including ingredient-level attributes.
Specialty wine retailer applies data to new channel

Wine Riot, an online resource and event creator for wine aficionados, is entering the brick-and-mortar space with some analytical assistance. Created by Second Glass, a Boston-based wine event provider, Wine Riot provides online data about wine and also serves as a digital platform supporting in-person wine tasting events and exhibitions. As the company prepares to open its first physical store in Boston, it is deploying the RetailNext analytics solution.
Grocery store chain fined for refrigerant leaks; ordered to cut greenhouse gases

Trader Joe’s is cleaning up its act — with regards to the environment. In a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the EPA, the chain agreed to spend $2 million over the next three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerator equipment at its 460 stores nationwide, and also to pay a $500,000 related civil penalty.
Q&A with It’Sugar’s Jeff Rubin: The King of Sweets

Photo: Jeff Rubin, Founder, CEO, It’Sugar (Credit: Patrick Gray, Kabik Photo Group) Jeff Rubin, founder and CEO of It’Sugar, has always had a sweet tooth — and a passion for retail. His father owned a chain of toy stores in the Midwest. After leaving the toy business, he went on to open a chain of bulk candy stores.
Survey: How to compete against Amazon for holiday sales

Although Amazon poses a major holiday sales threat, there are steps retailers can take to produce a merry season. According to a new survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers by marketing platform provider Signal, 42% of respondents said Amazon will be their primary holiday gift destination. Consumers who use Amazon do so because it is easy (50%), because they are Prime members (36%), and because they like the product reviews and recommendations (29%).