News

Report: Iconic supermarket chain may file Chapter 11
Montvale, N.J. – A supermarket chain that was founded two years before the Civil War began may be going the way of the Confederate flag.

According to the New York Post, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as this week.
NRF: Port statistic tracking would help avoid slowdowns
Washington, D.C. - The National Retail Federation (NRF) and more than 100 other business groups are formally calling for passage of legislation that would require the Transportation Department to track port statistics.

In a letter addressed to John Thune (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the NRF and its allies said this would help prevent a repeat of the congestion and slowdowns that occurred along the West Coast during the labor dispute resolved earlier this year.

Porsche drives consumers to dine in ‘experience center’

Atlanta - Porsche Cars North America Inc. hopes to drive consumers to drink – and eat – at its new $100 million Porsche Experience Center and headquarters. Porsche has officially opened its new fine dining "Restaurant 356" on the second level of the Porsche Experience Center, overlooking the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Batteries Plus Bulbs powers omnichannel store connection

Hartland, Wis. – Batteries Plus Bulbs, a 650-store chain specializing in batteries, lightbulbs and personal electronics repair, has a fairly traditional offering of products and services. But that doesn’t stop the retailer from delivering a modern omnichannel customer experience.

“We’re a needs-based business,” said Jayson Serrault VP of omnichannel marketing and analytics, Batteries Plus Bulbs. “Customers come to us with a specific need that has some sense of urgency and immediacy.”
eBay sells unit ahead of PayPal spin-off; beats Street in Q2

San Jose, Calif. -- eBay is selling its enterprise business as it continues streamline operations in anticipation of its separation from PayPal Holdings Inc. on Friday.

In announcing its second quarter results, eBay said it was selling its eBay Enterprise division, which helps retailers enhance their online presence and e-commerce capabilities, to a consortium led by private equity firm Permira for $925 million.
How big was Amazon’s sales increase on Prime Day?

New York -- So, how did Amazon make out with its 20th anniversary super-sale event on Wednesday?

Not surprisingly, the online giant wasn’t giving out many details, beyond saying that members shopped at record rates during its first ever “Prime Day.” A different story played out on social media, with consumers expressing frustration and disappointments about the quality of the offered deals.
How Retailers Can Leverage Shopper Empathy to Increase In-Store Sales

It’s no secret that in order to create great customer experiences and maximize sales, it’s imperative to have a deep understanding of the motivations that drive your customers’ buying behaviors and preferences. This is true across the entire path to purchase — from advertising to point of sale and beyond. So far, this is “motherhood and apple pie” to any marketer.
Google in two big moves sure to impact retail

New York -- Google made two announcements on Wednesday, both of which will impact retail.

In the first, the search engine giant said that the “buy” buttons it announced earlier this year will be deployed on a test basis in the next few weeks. The feature, called Purchases on Google, will allow consumers to purchase products directly from ads in select promoted mobile search ads.
Target Open House, San Francisco
Meet New York & Company's newest omnichannel celeb

New York & Company has recruited an Oscar-winning actress and singer to be the new face of its Soho Jeans Collection.

The retailer has named Jennifer Hudson to appear in an in-store, print, digital and social (#ItJustFits) marketing campaign wearing the New York-designed denim line that is inspired by a downtown Soho attitude. The new Soho Jeans Collection and Jennifer Hudson hit stores on July 22.
eBay to shed enterprise unit for $925M

eBay is selling its enterprise business as it continues streamline operations in anticipation of its separation from PayPal Holdings Inc. on Friday.

In announcing its second quarter results, eBay said it was selling its eBay Enterprise division, which helps retailers enhance their online presence and e-commerce capabilities, to a consortium led by private equity firm Permira for $925 million.
California Gurl is H&M's holiday spokeswoman

It may be the middle of summer, but H&M executives have the busy Christmas shopping season on the brain: The retailer has already selected its holiday campaign spokeswoman.

Katy Perry announced on Instagram Thursday that she would appear in the retailer's 2015 holiday campaign.