News

Report: Heavy digital coupon users shop more, spend more than average shopper
Mountain View, Calif. -- Consumers who use digital coupons both shop more and spend more than the average shopper. According to the "Digital Coupon Redeemer: Shopper Trends" report, heavy digital coupon users shop 47% more often than the average shopper, spending $6,081 annually on groceries and household goods alone – a 114% more than the national average.
Consumers using social media for positive feedback to brands
New York -- Consumers are predominantly using social media as a tool to give positive feedback, according to eDigitalResearch. Of the 2,000 consumers surveyed who have used social media to contact a brand in the past year, 6% have used social media to send positive feedback about a company compared to 2% who said they have used this touch point to send a complaint.

Walmart expands job training efforts with grant to NRF

Walmart is furthering its $100 million commitment to industry workforce development with a big grant to the NRF Foundation.

An $800,000 grant from Walmart to the NRF Foundation will work with employers to determine the competencies needed in the industry and the potential for a new industry-validated credentialing program to help store and distribution center employees advance their careers.
NRF economist: Brighter days ahead

New York -- The chief economist for the National Retail Federation on Monday released his Monthly Economic Review and the good news is that the gloomy economic indicators seen during the first half of the year will give way to brighter opportunities for economic growth during second half of year.
Another lackluster chapter for Books-A-Million

Books continue to be a tough sell at Books-A-Million, which reported a decline in revenue and same store sales in the first quarter.

Revenue at Books-A-Million fell 1.9% in the first quarter ended May 2, compared to the prior year quarter. Total sales fell to $101.8 million, while the net loss was cut to $5.3 million from $5.6 million. Same store sales dropped 0.9%.
Private equity firm to buy 330 Dollar Tree stores

Dollar Tree has agreed to sell 330 of its stores to the private-equity firm Sycamore Partners in order to get regulatory approval for its $8.5 billion purchase of Family Dollar.

Sycamore Partners intends to operate the 330 stores, which represent approximately $45.5 million of operating income for Family Dollar, under the Dollar Express banner.
Developing an Effective Approach to Cybersecurity

By Emily Westridge Black and Christopher Quinlan

With major data breaches making headline news on a near-weekly basis, the retail industry is increasingly focused on cybersecurity. When creating their cybersecurity plans retailers should:

• Create a strong cybersecurity team that is cross-sectional, and include personnel from legal, information technology, human resources, and communications or public relations departments. The team should also include at least one member of senior management.
Five Below doubles down on DC capacity

Fast growing retailer Five Below is bolstering it supply chain capabilities in the northeast with a new facility that will eventually exceed one million square feet.

The retailer of of value merchandise for teens announced the it will open a new distribution center in Oldmans Township, N.J. The 1,045,000 square-foot facility, located at 5 Gateway Boulevard, Pedricktown, N.J., will replace the company's existing 421,000 square foot facility located 12 miles away in New Castle, Del.
Apparel retailer M. Fredric taps NCR for POS, inventory management

Duluth, Georgia -- NCR announced that California-based apparel retailer M. Fredric is enhancing its retail point-of-sale (POS) and inventory management systems with NCR Counterpoint.

The solution provides M. Fredric with a single retail management software platform to closely track purchases and inventory levels in real-time across its nine brick-and-mortar locations and e-commerce store. By providing real-time sales data, NCR Counterpoint will enable M. Fredric to benefit from increased visibility for stock purchasing decisions.
What Tenants Need to Know About the Retail Market

The rebound in the nation’s economy is boosting retail sales and spurring an uptick in the number of retailers seeking to expand their presence in existing markets or grow into new trade areas. However, the boom does have a downside for those tenants, as most are finding out.