News

Shoppertrak: December 2017 calendar to influence shopper behavior
This holiday season offers retailers something they haven't experienced in five years. For the first since 2012, there will be four Saturdays in December prior to Christmas Day, according to Shoppertrak, which noted that the busiest shopping day of the year will fall on Black Friday, Nov. 24. Saturday, Dec. 23 and Saturday, Dec. 16 are expected to be the second and third busiest shopping days, respectively. (The full list is at the end of the article.)
Done deal: Bass Pro Shops completes acquisition of rival
Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's have officially joined forces — finally. Bass Pro Shops' acquisition of Cabela’s Inc. is complete. The deal, in the works for more than a year, brings together two of the nation's leading outdoor gear and apparel retailers. Bass Pro, a leader in fishing, operates more than 100 retail stores, while Cabela's, which is heavy into hunting, counts 89 locations. Also part of the unified company, which will be privately held, is Bass Pro's White Marine Group boating division.

Using Unified Retail Planning to Break Out of Functional Silos

Retail today isn’t for the faint-hearted. A recent quote from business magnate and investor Warren Buffet is quite telling, “I think retailing is just too tough for me, just generally.”
Jewelry brand teams up with Mastercard on VR shopping app
Williams Sonoma to open specialty concept in New York

Williams Sonoma is expanding its new dedicated home furnishings store format.
Innovative retail concept in store expansion mode

A tech-savvy retailer with an unusual business model is expanding its brick-and-mortar footprint nationally. b8ta announced plans to open four new stores, designed by Gensler, with locations in San Francisco, San Jose, Calif. (Santana Row), Houston (Galleria), and New York City. The expansion, which brings the company's total store count to nine, kicks off with the opening of a store in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood on Sept. 29.
Discounter opens 'store of the future'

Big Lots has finally unwrapped its store of the future. Located in the company's hometown of Columbus, Ohio, the store has a less promotional, softer look. Gaudy, aggressive signs have been replaced with more traditional aisle markers and color coding have replaced the chain's signs that "shouted" at customers, Columbus Business First reported. Customers are greeted with a big "Hello" on a wall as they enter, with a "thank you" sign on the way out.
Regulatory Wrap-Up: A $15/hour wage increase approved for 2018 ballot in Massachusetts

Wages
Massachusetts: A joint committee held a hearing on a bill that would increase the minimum wage by $1/hr. each year until it reaches $15/hr. in 2021. The bill would also phase out the tip credit over an eight year period. The legislature may feel more pressure to act now that a $15/hr. wage increase has been approved for the 2018 ballot.
Report: Consumers to get early jump on holiday shopping

More and more Americans plan to get an early start on their holiday shopping. And they also plan on spending more. Nearly half (45%) of Americans plan to start holiday shopping before November, with one in four starting before October, according to RetailMeNot's 2017 Holiday Retail Trends and Guide. Retailers are capitalizing on this earlier start: Nearly 80% indicated they will begin holiday marketing efforts earlier this year.
Butler employs social media to tame Irma’s effects

As Hurricane Irma moved northward up the Florida peninsula, Butler Enterprises was ready with a plan to use social media to keep beleaguered Gainesville residents supplied with necessities.