News

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and CargoNet jointly announced that they have strategically aligned to combat cargo theft across the retail industry.

According to the 2010 United States Cargo Theft Report issued by CargoNet, reported incidences of cargo theft increased by 50% compared with 2009. According to the FBI, cargo theft is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States.

The art and science of researching how shoppers decide is at a crossroad.  The  shopper insights discipline originally developed when retailers began saying to CPG manufacturers that they have a thorough understanding of behavioral data and its findings, but lack a genuine grasp of how their customers and non-customers think and the “why” that drives that behavior.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- HSN announced that Mitchell Hara has been appointed SVP corporate strategy/M&A, a newly created position, effective immediately.  He will report directly to Judy Schmeling, CFO of HSNi.

In his new position, Hara will assist with the overall corporate strategy, identifying and developing new strategic initiatives and leading the strategic planning process for the company.  He will also evaluate and oversee potential strategic partnerships and transactions. 

San Jose, Calif. -- VeriFone Systems and Hypercom Corp. announced that they have reached an agreement to sell the U.S. payment systems business of Hypercom to Ingenico S.A.

The transaction is expected to close immediately prior to completion of VeriFone’s acquisition of Hypercom, which is expected to occur in the second half of 2011, subject to certain closing conditions.

The 2011 edition of Interbrand’s Best Retail Brands report again lists Target in the second position with a value of $23.3 billion in between number-one-ranked Walmart at $142 billion and third-ranked Home Depot at $20.3 billion.

Target plans to give away one million reusable shopping bags on Sunday, April 17 in line with the release of its weekly ad featuring an assortment of environmentally-friendly products in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22.

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. — Sundial has announced that Walgreens has become the exclusive national drug store retail partner for its SheaMoisture hair care line and will carry the products on shelf and online, beginning April 1.

"We are very excited to launch our newest collection at Walgreens," stated Richelieu Dennis, founder and CEO of Sundial Creations, maker of SheaMoisture. "They have been a key partner in the growth of our business and we are enthusiastic about bringing organic hair care products to such a broad consumer base."

NEW YORK -- Several bidders, including Dish Network Corp. and billionaire investor Carl Icahn, are ready to battle for Blockbuster at a bankruptcy auction in New York on Monday, the Associated Press reported. The chain, which filed Chapter 11 in February, has received several bids other than the opening bid of $290 million from a group of debtholders made in February.

Dish and Icahn have each submitted a bid, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.