News

Survey: Tax refunds could be boon to retail spending
New York -- A majority (66%) of U.S. consumers expect to receive a tax refund this year, according to a consumer survey sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers. And 47% of these consumers plan to use their refunds on goods and services, including apparel, electronics and convenience items.
Army and Air Force Exchange to install 6,000 NCR POS terminals
Duluth, Ga. -- NCR Corporation announced that the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) will replace 6,000 point-of-sale terminals with NCR RealPOS 72XRT systems. The new technology will replace non-NCR terminals in both its retail and food services locations, and will be maintained globally by NCR Services.

The Exchange provides quality goods and service at comparatively low prices to American armed forces families. It operates more than 3,100 facilities worldwide, in more than 30 countries, five U.S. territories and 50 states.

Tech Bytes: Three Reasons Consumer Behavior Lags Behind Technology Innovation

New technology innovations pop up in retail all the time. The Amazon Dash button made a splash on April Fools Day, and before the end of the month Apple Watch will offer consumers a whole new way to engage retailers.

Every time a new retail technology innovation rears its head, pundits proclaim that the whole consumer-retailer relationship will be instantly re-invented. And the relationship between consumers and retailers has changed dramatically since the introduction of e-commerce 20 years ago.
Shipping: The Secret Weapon to Win in E-Commerce

By Christoph Stehmann, Pitney Bowes

According to the U.S. Commerce Department, retail e-commerce sales totaled over $304 billion in 2014, up 15.4% from the prior year. Also, eMarketer predicts that U.S. retail e-commerce sales will total approximately $350 billion in 2015.

The growth in e-commerce sales represents a huge opportunity for U.S. retailers. However, to be successful, retailers need to make sure they have the right shipping strategies and solutions in place to encourage shoppers to purchase goods online.
Walton family to sell part of Wal-Mart stake

Bentonville, Ark. – Walton Enterprises LLC, the corporation which holds Wal-Mart stock for the Walton family, plans to sell off some of its ownership stake in the discount giant. In a brief statement on the Wal-Mart investors webpage, Walton Enterprises said its stake in Wal-Mart has risen to about 50% as a result of stock buyback programs.
Government agency may sue PayPal for lending practices

San Jose, Calif. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may sue PayPal for practices of its PayPal Credit same-day loan provider unit. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), PayPal said the lawsuit could occur by June 2015.

The bureau has been investigating PayPal Credit, formerly known as Bill Me Later, since 2013. The investigation includes practices in areas such as online credit products, advertising, loan origination, customer acquisition, servicing, debt collection and complaints handling practices.
Save Mart drives omnichannel loyalty with NCR, Inmar

Modesto, Calif. - Save Mart Supermarkets has chosen NCR and Inmar Digital Promotions Network, a subsidiary of Inmar, to help drive customer loyalty online, mobile and in-store. NCR cloud and marketing retail solutions, combined with Inmar’s targeted digital coupon content and services, will allow Save Mart to manage promotions and loyalty programs while introducing digital coupons that are accessible via multiple sales channels.
Color Commentary

For some retailers, earthtones are the color palette of today; for others, bright white sets merchandise off to perfection. Meet Brian Foster of Paint Folks as he discusses trends in paint colors and how his company offers more than just paint.
Affordable fashion expands close to 90210

Saks Off 5th is joining the likes of Nordstrom Rack, Marshalls and Old Navy as the newest tenant at a Southern California shopping center that serves by value conscious residents of a community synonymous with celebrity and glamour.
Sears board member new addition at Staples

Starboard Value, the investment firm driving change at Staples, pushed the retailer to merge with Office Depot and now has achieved another of its goals with the addition of a new board member.
Academy does deal with Cardinals

Despite not having any stores in or near St. Louis, Academy Sports + Outdoors has inked a multi-year brand building deal with the Cardinals that is sure to have fans of the popular hometown baseball team scratching their heads.
Rejected: Children’s Place nixes alternate director slate

Specialty retailer the Children’s Place has rejected an alternate slate of directors proposed by a firm agitating for change after it acquired roughly 2% of the retailer’s outstanding shares.