News

The holiday promotion season is fast approaching with the arrival of Thanksgiving and Black Friday. From that moment the race is on for customer dollars through to the New Year. We’ve all been through this many times, and it seems like no sooner has one season finished than we are shortly into planning for the next. But what impact are the prices we set having on customer behavior and the profits of retailers?

Huntsville, Ala. -- RCP Companies announced the opening of the first phase of The Shops at Merchants Walk located in Huntsville, Alabama. The property features 90,000-sq. ft. of shopping and dining experience, including the only Whole Foods Market in North Alabama along with high-end shopping options. The development extends Parkway Place retail node and connects it to the Central Business District.

Shoppers all across the country who long for a taste of salsa from San Antonio or tortilla chips from Dallas will love the latest news from Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B.

Home goods and Sephora helped JCPenney turn the page on the next chapter of its story of transformation by exceeding top-line growth expectations in the third quarter.

For its third quarter ended Oct. 31, the company reported net sales of $2.90 billion compared to $2.76 billion in the third quarter of 2014. Same store sales increased 6.4 % for the period. JCPenney cut its loss by 27% to $137 million, or 45 cents a share. Total sales increased 4.8 percent to $2.9 billion versus $2.76 billion last year.

For much of the past decade Kroger's growth stragey has depended on acquiring regional grocery chains. But Kroger's move to acquire a beloved MIdwestern chain has many shoppers there in an uproar.

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At NRF, we like to think of ourselves as the industry’s chief storyteller. As the nation’s largest private-sector employer, with 3.7 million retail establishments across the country employing close to 30 million people serving every community in the nation, retail has a lot of stories to tell.

Nordstrom joined Macy's this week in blaming weak traffic for its disappointing same store sales as the Seattle-based chain also lowered its full-year guidance.

Nordstrom Inc. said that for the third quarter ended Oct. 31 same store sales increased .9%. It posted earnings of 57 cents per share on $3.33 billion in revenue. And net sales increased 6.6 percent.

What if you could target parents based on their specific stage of parenthood, such as expectant or parents of a newborn? According to The Drum, eBay Advertising is rolling out a new tool that will let retailers using its service do just that. [The Drum]

Experts and regular folks alike are puzzled by the uproar over Starbucks’ holiday cup design, the Associated Press reported. Even New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan sounded a curious note, saying "I don't think it's like Starbucks had the Christmas crib on their cups to begin with.” [Associated Press]

Sears is going the private, members-only route this Black Friday in an effort to drive traffic to its stores.

For the first time ever, Sears will open all of its stores to select Shop Your Way members for a private night of shopping for many of its Thanksgiving/Black Friday doorbusters four days early. Sears will hold its "Members Private Night" in all stores on Nov. 22 from 6-9 p.m. While access to the event is by email or text invitation only, members can text the word "EXCLUSIVE" to 73277 to receive an invitation, while supplies last.