News

Holiday survey: ‘Disciplined shoppers’ seeking value; Black Friday popularity bounces back
New York -- Consumers are expected to spend an average of $582 on holiday shopping this season, and 23% plan to spend more than $750, according to a survey by Accenture. And half of consumers (52%) expect to increase their spending by $250 or more.
Belk’s Reinvention
Regional retailers are typically defined by geography, but Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk is a bit different than most. Distinguished by its signature Southern hospitality, the nation’s largest privately held department store chain has a dominant presence throughout the South and a footprint as far west as Oklahoma and north through Maryland. But its reach extends even farther, as Canadians and Californians alike shop its e-commerce site.

Best Buy streamlines U.S. ops, expects lower profits

MINNEAPOLIS — Best Buy is streamlining its U.S. operations by implementing a leaner leadership structure.
The Right Fit

One of the biggest problems for retailers is ensuring they have the right sizes and styles available in the correct stores. Retailers that have trouble planning localized assortments are at an additional disadvantage.

Town Shoes knows this challenge firsthand. The 60-year-old company relied on spreadsheets to create assortments, making targeted or clustered store assortments nearly impossible.
Moen unveils eco-friendly showerhead

Moen has announced its Moen Caldwell Four-Function Eco-Performance Showerhead, which has a flow rate of 2.0 gallons per minute (gpm), 20% less than the industry standard of 2.5 gpm. It also meets the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense criteria.
Transparent Enterprise BI

Making better business decisions requires retailers to break down silos between company divisions, and deliver scalable predictive tools that allow managers enterprise-wide to sift through mission-critical information.

Chain Store Age talked with Andrea Morgan-Vandome, VP retail strategy and solution marketing, Oracle Retail, about the importance of business intelligence (BI).

What is the biggest change today related to retail analytics and BI?
P&G sees increase in 1Q core EPS

CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble announced on Thursday a decrease in both first-quarter net sales and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, as core earnings per share rose 5%.

For the July-September period, net sales totaled $20.7 billion, a decrease of 4% compared with the year-ago period — including a negative 6% impact from foreign exchange.
Focus on: Energy Management

By Sam Khalilieh

Study after study has concluded that adding doors to medium temperature coolers (MTC) is a great solution for a variety of issues that plague retailers. Whether looking at energy use, operational costs, product safety or consumer comfort, there is no downside to adding doors. So why do so many overlook this very basic approach?
Walmart hit by lawsuit over temp agency overtime hours

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is being hit by yet another lawsuit, as a proposed class action was filed Monday alleging that the world’s largest retailer and its staffing agencies broke federal minimum wage and overtime laws. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Illinois' Eastern Division claims that Wal-Mart and its staffing firms Labor Ready and QPS required temp workers in the Chicago area to arrive early for work, stay late, and work through lunches and breaks without pay.
Focus on: America’s Top Redevelopers

In its eighth year, the annual Top Redevelopers survey continues to underscore the country’s emphasis on refurbishing and repositioning over building anew. Just as in the prior seven years, shopping center owners are concentrating on existing assets — sometimes tweaking, sometimes refreshing, sometimes razing sections and rebuilding. For all, however, the goal is to maximize exposure and returns for all the tenants involved.