News

When it comes to redeeming their holiday gift cards, consumers overwhelming prefer brick-and-mortar stores.

According to a survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers, 77% of consumers who received gift cards planned to redeem them in a physical store.

When it comes to the customer experience, one retail segment stands out above all others.

Supermarket chains took 13 out of the top 20 spots in the sixth annual Temkin Experience Ratings, with regional grocers Publix and H-E-B earning the highest overall scores. Other supermarket chains in the top 20 were Save-a-Lot, Kroger, Wegmans, Aldi, Food Lion, Shop Rite, Giant Eagle, Trader Joe’s, Wawa (classified as a supermarket by Temkin), Winn-Dixie and Hy-Vee.

The Home Depot Inc. has reached a tentative settlement of consumer claims regarding a 2014 data breach that may have exposed personal and financial information of more than 50 million consumers.

Home Depot agreed to pay $13 million to reimburse affected consumers for out-of-pocket expenses and spend at least $6.5 million to offer 18 months of identity protection services for holders of cards that may have been exposed. The retailer also agreed to improve its data security and to hire a chief information security officer.

A modular cabinet and hardware system has given upscale men’s clothing retailer Hammer Made an important degree of flexibility at Ridgedale Shopping Mall location in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Inventory at the upscale men’s clothing shop fluctuates often. Consequently, it was critical that the display cabinets create the impression that the shelves were always stocked, regardless of the actual inventory level at hand.

Aldi now has three co-presidents overseeing its rapidly expanding U.S. business following the promotion of Brent Laubaugh.

Laughbaugh, a 20 year veteran of the company, currently serves as VP of the Aldi division based in the Pittsburgh suburb of Saxonburgh, was named co-president of Aldi U.S. In that capacity, he joins David Behm and Chuck Youngstrom who will continue in their roles as co-presidents. All three report to Aldi CEO Jason Hart.

Whole Foods Market has partnered with national solar providers NRG and SolarCity to substantially increase the number of rooftop solar units on the company’s U.S. stores.

The retailer aims to install up to 100 additional solar rooftop units on its stores. If the goal is reached, the project has potential to be among the 25 largest commercial rooftop solar installations in the country.

Photo: Frankie Grande, Rachel Smith, and Lyndsey Rodrigues host Style Code Live, Amazon's first, daily live show.

Sport Authority’s decision to file bankruptcy is contributing to one of its suppliers making a major downward revision to a 2016 profit forecast.

Performance Sports Group, a supplier of team sports equipment under the Bauer and Easton brands, slashed its profit forecast for the current fiscal year by 55 cents to a range of 12 cents to 14 cents from a range of 66 cents to 69 cents. Nine cents of the shortfall was attributed to anticipated losses from “a U.S. national sporting goods retailer that has filed under chapter 11.”