News

Whole Foods puts tech chief on exec team
The importance of technology is highlighted in a promotion at Whole Foods Market.
Office Depot recognized for business product quality
Boca Raton, Fla. - Office Depot, Inc. has been recognized for outstanding product quality and service by privately-held home builder David Weekley Homes.

This marks the 10th consecutive year that Office Depot has received the “A,A Partners of Choice” award given this year to 15 of David Weekley Homes’ suppliers.

Barnes & Noble completes spin off

New York - Barnes & Noble Inc. on Monday completed the separation of its retail store and college businesses.

Following the spinoff, Michael Huseby, former CEO of Barnes & Noble, became executive chairman of Barnes & Noble Education, which will have a separate board of directors.
No stopping Publix Super Markets

Lakeland, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets is racking up another record year even as other grocers, including Whole Foods Market, are struggling under the weight of new competition.

Publix reports that sales for the second quarter were $8 billion, a 6% increase from last year’s $7.5 billion. Same store sales for the second quarter increased 4.1%.

Net earnings were $482.7 million, compared to $404.1 million in 2014, an increase of 19.5%.
JCP in omnichannel overdrive with Target, Home Depot hires

J.C. Penney just poached two key executives to maximize the power, reach and integration of its omnichannel efforts.

The department store retailer named Michael Amend, former vice president of online, mobile and omnichannel for Home Depot, to the position of executive vice president of omnichannel effective immediately. He fills a position previously held by Mike Rodgers who left the company. Additionally, Mike Robbins, formerly the senior vice president of global supply chain for Target, will be joining the J.C. Penney as senior vice president of supply chain effective Aug. 10.
Sears sales tumble as investors grumble

Sears Holdings keeps finding new ways to generate cash and gain financial flexibility, but selling merchandise is not among them.
Yahoo! tries for a better sense of style

Yahoo! Inc. is trying to expand its digital content and advertising business by acquiring a fashion website that allow shoppers to put together sets of clothes and accessories, and then buy them.
Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s expanding same-day delivery

Cincinnati - Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s are stepping up their efforts to get online goods delivered to shoppers faster than ever.
The department store company is expanding same-day delivery service to nine additional markets beginning this month. Both Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s are partnering with third-party delivery service Deliv to offer same-day delivery on products purchased online at macys.com, Bloomingdales.com, and on both brands’ mobile-enabled websites.
New online store ‘springs’ to life

Proving that no niche is too small when it comes to e-commerce, a new web store has been created to serve the narrowest of consumer needs.

DIYGarageDoorParts.com, a company that is devoted to helping people fix their own garage doors, has just expanded their selection of garage door parts. Thanks to newly-added parts, which are available through the website, people who want to repair their garage door now have even more options.
What it means to be 'mobile-first'

The concept of mobile first has been around for a while – most notably when Eric Schmidt announced Google would focus on ‘mobile first’ back in 2010. However, the concept still means different things to many different people.

It’s not far-fetched to say that mobile technologies have permeated our lives. You no longer go online, you are online and you carry it around in your pocket. Just like Dr. Michio Kaku says, “Today, your cell phone has more computer power than all of NASA back in 1969, when it placed two astronauts on the moon."