News

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is targeting customers in the education field with a special promotion and discount.

The fabric and craft specialty retailer will be having a Teacher Appreciation Days savings event Jan. 17-19. All qualifying teachers will be able to take advantage of significant savings on a wide variety of craft supplies and classroom decor items. Teachers will receive 25% off all purchases throughout the event.

Phoenix – PetSmart Inc. considered but ultimately rejected attempting to buy an unidentified, privately held pet retail chain before agreeing to an $8.7 billion sale in December 2014. In an SEC filing, PetSmart disclosed it decided against the purchase after determining there could be competitive and antitrust issues.

PetSmart also said 27 potential buyers showed interest in purchasing the company between August and October 2014, before PetSmart formally launched a bidding process.

Shoppers are ready to spend this spring thanks to a precipitous decline in gas prices and an expectation that prices will stay low.

A new study suggests that most Americans are optimistic about the economy, thanks to the continuing slide in gas prices. A survey of gas consumers found that 57% of Americans are optimistic, including nearly two-thirds (65%) of those ages 18-34.

Staples didn’t have a great year, so Chairman and CEO Ron Sargent won’t accept a $31,000 base pay raise the board of directors had previously approved.

The company announced that Sargent would not accept the 2.5% pay increase, along with several noteworthy governance moves, including the appointment of an independent chair when Sargent retires.

In other board moves, current director and former Toys “R” Us CEO Robert Nakasone is relinquishing his seat to make room for a Google executive.

Two technology trends stood out above all others at this week’s NRF Annual Convention. First, retailers are becoming aware that omnichannel inventory transparency is the back-end platform supporting the front-end seamless customer experience they have been building the past few years. Being able to see all inventory across all channels in real time is the key to enabling omnichannel processes such as shipping and fulfilling from store, centrally managing orders from multiple sales channels, providing “endless aisle” access to full inventory.

In addition to educating attendees about the charitable activities of Retail ROI and presenting a heartfelt session from Katie Meyler, founder of Liberian non-profit More Than Me and a 2014 Time Person of the Year for her Ebola prevention efforts, this year’s Super Saturday event in New York focused squarely on customer experience. A variety of industry experts across a range of panel discussions all returned to the crucial need for technology-enabled, seamless customer experience.

Location analytics solutions provider Esri is helping BJ’s Wholesale Club generate actionable business insights from club location data.

BJ’s use of Esri’s solutions was announced in conjunction with the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York. More specifically, BJ’s will use Esri’s location analytics solutions to aid in real estate research strategy and business insight analysis.

Etsy, an e-marketplace that specializes in crafts and other artsy items, plans to hold an initial public offering as soon as this quarter, according to Bloomberg.

The decade-old company may seek to raise about $300 million, Bloomberg says, and is working with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.