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Taking the reins of Toys “R” Us in July 2015, new CEO and chairman David Brandon recognized one of the biggest challenges he faced would be inspiring others to execute his vision of what the company could be. The retailer had gone through a decade of leadership changes, and Brandon was well aware that frequent executive changes, strategic shifts and cost-cutting can cause stress and a lack of trust.

For Toys “R” Us chairman and CEO David Brandon, it’s all about having a successful holiday in 2015 — a short-term goal that he believes will pave the way to leveraging longterm opportunities.

There has been a bit of controversy lately regarding Urban Outfitters’ recent request that some of their salaried employees “volunteer” to fill normally hourly roles in fulfillment centers and retail outlets.

The need for technology innovation in retail has never been greater, and the proper assets and expertise are not always available in-house.

While mobile payments are increasing, cash receipts still remain a healthy percentage of total sales and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Fifth Third Bank’s John Bultema discusses the proper management of cash in retail stores and solutions aimed at improving store efficiency and reducing costs.

What is the current status of cash handling in retail stores? Are cash receipts in stores on the decline?

First it was Black Friday encroaching on Thanksgiving. Now, Cyber Monday is bleeding into Sunday night with Walmart and Target employing new promotional strategies.

What year did you attend your very first SPECS?

GameStop forecast an exceptionally wide range of same store sales possibilities during the fourth quarter following weaker than expected third quarter results.