News

PORT WASHINGTON, New York – The NPD Group announced that John Deputato will head its expanded advanced analytics business as SVP. 

As SVP, Deputato has overall responsibility for leading and growing NPD’s Advanced Analytics business in North America.  His scope encompasses the strategic vision and tactical direction of this important business.  In this newly-created role, he will report to Randall Smith, group president. 

Atlanta - First Data Corp.’s SpendTrend report, which tracks same-store consumer spending via credit, signature debit, PIN debit and EBT cards, found that in early December, year-over-year dollar volume growth was 6.6%, a decrease from November’s strong growth of 8.1%.

The small ad was a little lost on the bottom of page 36 of Target’s 40-page holiday circular this week, but there among an offering of floor care products was a reminder of a Facebook initiative that could be worth as much as $50,000 to the Kids In Need Foundation. The ad encouraged readers to visit Facebook.com/TargetGiveJoy to create a wish list of up to five items for a chance to win a gift card equal in value to those items with Kids In Need receiving a $5 donation for each wish list submitted up to a total of $50,000. The program ends at midnight on Christmas.

PLANO, Texas - JCPenney announced that it will opens its doors at 7 a.m. on Dec. 26 for its biggest After Christmas Sale ever. Customers visiting JCPenney the day after Christmas can find extended store hours, free shipping offers on jcp.com and over 100 “Doorbuster” specials from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., highlighted in JCPenney’s expanded 48-page sales circular, the company reported. 

Purchase, N.Y. - A report released Monday by MasterCard Advisors said that retail sales through the second week of December generally continued November’s momentum, with several sectors recording moderate to strong gains.

MasterCard SpendingPulse reports on national retail and services sales and is based on aggregate sales activity in the MasterCard payments network, coupled with survey-based estimates for all other payment forms, including cash and check.

Atlanta - U.S. regulators have sued a former sales executive at Carter’s Inc., claiming that he caused the company to misstate earnings by hiding the cost of discounts given to a retailer. 

According to a Monday report by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Joseph Elles induced Kohl’s Corp. to boost purchases from Carter’s from 2004 to March 2009 by granting unauthorized discounts that he didn’t disclose.

The time to ponder that question is when everything is going right, which pretty much seems to be the case at Target these days. The company’s stable senior leadership team has articulated a clear strategy that is being well-executed and delivering expectation-exceeding results such as a 5.5% gain in November same-store sales and third quarter earnings per share that surged 28.5% to 74 cents.

NEW YORK - A seminar on collaborative merchandising initiatives at the upcoming National Retail Federation convention should draw considerable interest due to the involvement of Target and ConAgra Foods. The seminar is sponsored by DemandTec, a company whose suite of merchandising solutions have been used by both companies since 2007. The session will be facilitated by DemandTec’s SVP consumer products Rob Culin.