News

Target increases food focus with eye toward future
Target Corp. has made grocery and perishable products a big part of its turnaround strategy, and is committing to do so for the forseeable future.

Target is partnering with the MIT Media Lab and global design firm Ideo on a multi-year collaboration, known as the Food + Future coLAB, to explore the future of food. The work will focus on areas such as urban farming, food transparency and authenticity, supply chain and health.
Sports Authority enters the holiday hiring game
Sports Authority is joining other top retailers with plans to fortify their employee ranks for the holidays.

The sporting goods retailer announced it will hire 3,500 temporary employees across the country to meet consumer demand during the 2015 holiday season. All Sports Authority locations will begin hiring in mid-October and continue through December. Sports Authority plans to convert hundreds of seasonal workers into permanent Team Members after the holidays.

Sports Authority enters the holiday hiring game

Sports Authority is joining other top retailers with plans to fortify their employee ranks for the holidays.

The sporting goods retailer announced it will hire 3,500 temporary employees across the country to meet consumer demand during the 2015 holiday season. All Sports Authority locations will begin hiring in mid-October and continue through December. Sports Authority plans to convert hundreds of seasonal workers into permanent Team Members after the holidays.
Square bulks up financing leadership with Yahoo exec

As it prepares for a planned IPO, Square, the payments processing company led and co-founded by tech heavyweight Jack Dorsey is adding key executives to its Square Capital business financing operation.
Cherokee diversifies with flip-flops

Licensed apparel company Cherokee Global Brand is acquiring a new retail chain just a few weeks after announcing its relationship with Target is ending.
Report: Walmart bribery probe finds no major misconduct in Mexico

The three-year investigation into allegations of misconduct and corruption at Wal-Mart’s operations in Mexico has found few major offenses, Reuters reported.

Read more by clicking here.
Retail and CPG marketing made easier

Aside from some massively complex challenges, retailer and consumer packaged goods marketers have never had it so good, according to Bob Fair, president of marketing applications
Technology summit comes to Walmart’s back yard

Northwest Arkansas isn’t the first place that comes to mind when the phrase “hotbed of start-up activity” is uttered, but organizers of a first-of-its-kind technology summit are looking to change that perception.

On November 10, more than 800 people are expected to gather at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers, Ark., for the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit, an event organized by the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Arkansas Council.
Target is looking for an accelerator

Start-ups looking to revolutionize retail have a significant new opportunity for support.
Report: Target ads target TV-driven sales

Target Corp. is turning TV into an immediate sales driver with a new omnichannel ad campaign.

According to ClickZ, Target is partnering with Shazam, an online music app that has been expanding its functionality, to capture sales from consumers as they watch TV. Target is running TV ads that ask consumers to “Shazam to Shop Now.”
RetailNext: Holiday sales expected to climb only 2.8%

A sluggish economic recovery will prevent sales from rising more than 2.8% this holiday season, according to analytics firm RetailNext.

Last week, the National Retail Federation estimated a 3.7% increase in holiday sales, slightly less than last year. Deloitte also called for a 3.5% to 4% increase. This week the International Council of Shopping Centers predicted a 3.3% increase.

RetailNext's forecast for U.S. retail stores this holiday season (November – December) includes:
Confirmation: The Third Wave of Physical Retail

Please click here to preview the report.