News

Sainsbury’s Argos acquisition boosts digital reach
By the holidays, customers of J Sainsbury Plc will be able to take advantage of more mobile capabilities. Leveraging its acquisition of the Home Retail Group, which closed last month, Sainsbury will begin adding Argos branches or click-and-collect distribution points inside almost all of its stores, according to a recent Bloomberg article.
JLL acquires Scottsdale center
JLL Income Property Trust has purchased the Kierland Village Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, for $34.5 million. Kierland Village is an upscale development in the Phoenix suburb, which has seen a near 10% rise in population since 2000. The 118,000-sq.-ft. neighborhood center is anchored by Safeway and houses Walgreens, Einstein Brothers, Pizza Hut, Panda Express, and a UPS Store. The acquisition is in line with JLL’s current appetite for active, necessity-based centers.

Ralph Lauren namesake heads up innovation

Driving innovation across Ralph Lauren’s channels has become a family affair. David Lauren, the son of designer Ralph Lauren, was appointed vice chairman and chief innovation officer for the fashion brand. Lauren’s new role coincides with the company’s “Way Forward” business plan designed to revive sales and reinstate the company’s “hip” reputation, Bloomberg reported.
Crafting retailer names head merchant

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores has appointed a permanent chief merchandising officer. Sharyn Hejcl has been promoted to executive VP, chief merchandising officer. For the past year, Hejcl served as the interim head of merchandising in conjunction with her role as senior VP, inventory management and supply chain. She will continue to report to the chain’s president and CEO Jill Soltau.
MOM’s Organic Market is not a typical grocery store chain

MOM’s Organic Market started as a produce delivery company based out of the founder’s mother’s garage and has grown into a 16-store grocery chain. “We carry much more than Trader Joe’s and less than Whole Foods,” founder Scott Nash told The Washington Post.
Toys ‘R’ Us gaining momentum with renewed investments

The nation’s largest specialty toy retailer finds itself in a sweet spot as its most critical selling season approaches. After years of just cutting costs, Toys “R” Us is starting to put money back into operations, as it looks to grow sales and traffic, Bloomberg reported. And for the first time in a while, the company is building inventory.
Report: Brands aren’t prepared to excel at e-commerce

With an eye on merging the physical and virtual shopping experience, too many retailers still struggle with how to engage shoppers pre- and post-purchase. This was the message delivered in a new global study from Sitecore. Based on responses from 826 marketing and IT decision makers, and 414 IT partners and suppliers in 14 countries, the majority reported they do understand the importance of online commerce. However, they do not feel fully prepared for driving the growth of this channel globally.
Ross Stores continues aggressive expansion

It’s shaping up as a busy fall for Ross Stores. The retailer is opening 25 Ross Dress for Less ("Ross") stores and nine dd's Discounts stores across 16 different states in September and October. The new locations round out the company's expansion plans to add approximately 90 locations in 2016.
Video Solutions Boost Business Intelligence for Retailers

Omnichannel retailing is no longer some far flung prediction, or even a trend, it’s the reality that today’s consumers demand. To succeed in the age of this cross-channel business model, retailers must prioritize customer engagement by building positive brand recognition and loyalty and providing experiences tailored to their preferences and behaviors.
Whole Foods Market honored for eco-friendly refrigeration

Whole Foods Market has received an award for deploying cutting-edge, advanced refrigeration technology. The grocer received the 2015-2016 “Best of the Best” award from the EPA’s GreenChill Partnership for using an advanced, more environmentally sustainable refrigeration system at its store in Dublin, California.