News

Amazon keeps California covered with new facility
Amazon.com Inc. cannot be accused of ignoring the fulfillment needs of customers in California. The e-tail giant plans to open its 10th California fulfillment center in Sacramento. The new 855,000-plus-sq.-ft. facility, the fourth California fulfillment center Amazon has announced within a span of four months, will create more than 1,000 full-time hourly roles.
Supervalu’s Van Buskirk to depart
A Supervalu executive will be departing the company, according to a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company’s executive VP merchandising, marketing, retail and pharmacy Mark Van Buskirk’s employment will end effective July 16, the filing says. In the interim, the company is evaluating a succession plan and Van Buskirk’s functional areas will report to Supervalu executive VP, COO and CFO Bruce Besanko.

Cabela’s continues to expand

Cabela’s Inc. announced plans to expand to open two new stores, including its first-ever location in New Mexico. The hunting and fishing retailer will open a 70,000-sq.-ft. store at Legacy at Journal Center, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2017. The store will offer customers an immersive outdoor experience with a 360-degree mountain and wildlife-display feature, dozens of taxidermy mounts, vintage outdoor photos and memorabilia, and a regionally specific theme.
Study: Customers display cost-consciousness

Consumers who purchase at off-price retail outlets are a growing group. According to the latest Checkout Tracking data from global information company The NPD Group, two-thirds of all consumers shop at off-price retailers. Checkout Tracking analysis, which analyzes receipts and follows consumer purchasing behavior, also shows off-price buyers represent 75% of apparel purchases across all retail channels.
Quiznos tops organization with new CEO

Quick-service restaurant chain Quiznos has promoted global chief marketing officer Susan Lintonsmith as its new CEO. Joining Quiznos as chief marketing officer in 2012, Lintonsmith was instrumental in opening the China market and leading the opening of the Quiznos Grill premium sandwich concept. Previous roles in her more than 25-year career include serving as a consultant to Einstein Noah Restaurant Group and as chief marketing officer of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.
New Sam’s Club store provides seamless shopping

A Sam’s Club location opening in Columbia, South Carolina, will be among the first to offer a new mobile payment option.
Victorinox Swiss Army expanding its U.S. footprint

Photos: Ric Kallaher Victorinox Swiss Army has opened its doors in New York City’s Rockefeller Center. The store, the brand’s eighth location in North America, is designed to create an immersive experience into the company’s Swiss heritage amid a modern environment that reflects the company’s commitment to quality, functionality, iconic design and innovation.
Engaging Holiday Shoppers Past the One-Time Purchase

As the holiday shopping season rapidly approaches for marketers, a brand’s biggest challenge is to rise above the marketing noise and extend consumer engagement in ways that lead to purchase. How can you reward consumers while creating longer-term stickiness? Here are some of our favorite ways to drive return visits, increase brand-shopper interaction, and get on consumers’ nice lists this holiday season. Holiday Gift Calendars
Retail robot has accident at mall

Accounts of exactly how it happened differ, but a 300-pound security robot collided with a toddler at a mall in Palo Alto, California. According to CNN Money, the robot struck and partially ran over a 16-month-old child in the Stanford Shopping Center on Thursday, July 14. The child was not seriously injured. Mall operator Simon Property Group is investigating.
June retail sales get warmer

U.S. retailers ended spring with a small but notable improvement in financial performance. According to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, adjusted advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for June were $457 billion. This represents an increase of 0.6% from the previous month, and 2.7% higher than June 2015.