News

Mobility pushes Neiman Marcus to up its networking game
Digital disruptors continue to change the pace of retail — and Neiman Marcus is ready. Like many retailers, the luxury department store chain continues to introduce more mobile technology at store-level, a move that supports both in-store operations and consumer-driven tasks, from browsing through procurement. “It is a trend that requires our network to be a mission-critical lifeline at every store,” said Scott Emmons, head of the Neiman Marcus Innovation Lab (iLab).
Physical stores remain go-to location for cosmetic and grooming purchases
Beliefs that online shopping has replaced brick-and-mortar shopping are exaggerated, especially when it comes cosmetic and grooming purchases, according to a new The Harris Poll.

Kohl’s VP joins Gordmans’ exec team

Gordmans Stores named Ramin Mozafari as senior VP of planning and allocation. Mozafari joins Gordmans from Kohl's Department Stores, where he most recently was senior VP, divisional merchandise manager for accessories. Prior to Kohl's, from 2008 to 2012, he served DSW, where he held various merchandising roles including VP, general merchandise manager.
Executive turnover at Sears

Beleaguered Sears has lost two of its top executives. Jeffrey Balagna, Sears' executive VP, and Joelle Maher, Sears president and chief member officer both left the company within the past week, reported Business Insider. Sears, which will report its third quarter earnings on Thursday, did not announce or explain the departures,
The Barriers to Enterprise Mobile POS: Five Things Holding Retailers Back

A few years ago, there was considerable buzz in the retail industry about the enormous potential of mobile point of sale (mPOS) and its ability to transform the in-store customer experience. With online competitors driving new consumer expectations and shopping behavior, this was seen as a key strategy in blunting the competition and giving brick and mortar merchants an upper hand.
Home furnishings giant in big expansion of parental leave

In a move that is likely to help it attract new talent — and hold on to existing employees — Ikea U.S. has announced one of the most generous and inclusive parental leave programs in the U.S. retail industry. Effective Jan. 1, Ikea will provide all its 13,000 U.S. salaried and hourly employees who are expanding their families — including mothers, fathers and adoptive and foster parents — with up to four months of paid parental leave.
New chief digital officer for Kroger

The Kroger Co. has tapped a tech veteran as its next chief digital officer. The supermarket giant announced that 15-year-veteran Kevin Dougherty, 63, group VP and chief digital officer, will retire on Jan. 27, 2017. He will be succeeded by Yael Cosset, 43, chief commercial officer and chief information officer of 84.51.
Commentary: Amazon Go — what it means for Amazon

On Monday, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Go, a checkout-free convenience store in Seattle. The 1,800-sq.-ft. store is powered by what Amazon calls “just walkout technology,” which combines computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning technologies. Currently open only to Amazon employees, Amazon Go expected to open to the public in 2017.
Home improvement retailer ups ante with price optimization

The Home Depot Mexico is one step closer to delivering on its promise "to provide the highest level of service, the broadest selection of products and the most competitive prices.”
Michaels disappoints in Q3

Michaels came up short in the third quarter, posting earnings and revenue that missed analysts’ forecasts. The art and craft retailer reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of 40 cents per diluted share, missing analysts' estimates of 43 cents per share. Net sales increased 5.0% to $1.227 billion, primarily a result of the acquisition of Lamrite West in February 2016 and sales from 19 additional stores.