News

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Despite economic indicators that show the recession is over, customers are slightly less satisfied in 2015 than they were the prior year. According to CFI Group's Retail Satisfaction Barometer 2015, the RSB score for 2015 is 79 on a 0-100 scale (with 100 being the highest possible score), a one-point drop from 2014.

Now that the smoke has cleared from the initial release of the Apple Watch, retailers can take a more objective look at how this latest innovation in wearable technology might disrupt customer engagement and the overall customer experience. Here are three thoughts on how Apple Watch could shift the retail landscape.

Small Screen, Big Challenge/Opportunity

Atlanta -- Sandwich operator Arby's Restaurant Group recorded systemwide same-store sales growth in first quarter 9.8%, marking 18 consecutive quarters of comp growth and indicating progress toward the quick-serve chain’s goal to surpass $4 billion in system-wide total sales by the end of 2018.
 

Chicago -- Self-service kiosks got a nod from the Millennial generation, as a new survey released by location-based mobile platform Retale showed that 20% of Millennial shoppers don’t like interacting with cashiers at checkout.

The survey examined consumer self-service checkout (SSK) adoption and preferences among brick-and-mortar retailers, focusing on SSK experiences, and evaluating convenience, challenges and desired improvements.

Research highlights include:

Toano, Va. -- Lumber Liquidators Holdings reported a first-quarter loss of $7.8 million, swinging from a profit of $13.7 million in the year-ago period and missing Wall Street expectations. Revenue of $260 million in the period met analysts’ forecasts.

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Company has named consumer marketing executive and board member Mary Beth West as executive VP and chief customer and marketing officer, effective June 1. She replaces Debra Berman, who resigned as CMO after less than two years with the retailer.  West will be stepping down from the board to assume the new role.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon was in Beijing on Wednesday, where he put a finer point on a previously announced international expansion plan that will include a blend of 115 new stores, remodels and select closures in the world’s second largest economy.

McMillon and Walmart Asia CEO Scott Price participated in a press conference in Beijing, where the emphasis was on the retailer’s physical expansion in a market where overall economic rates of growth have been decelerating with little mention of e-commerce.

Smart & Final Stores Inc. credited strong merchandising and marketing initiatives with the retailer's impressive jump in same store sales for the first quarter.

Lumber Liquidators reported a first-quarter loss of $7.8 million and announced that its CFO is resigning as allegations over the quality of its flooring continues to affect the company.

In the quarter, the company swung to a loss of $7.8 million, or 29 cents per share, compared to net income of $13.7 million, or 49 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue of $260 million in the period met analysts’ forecasts. 

Foot Locker has signed a lease for a redesigned flagship store in the heart of Manhattan’s 34th Street corridor.

The new Foot Locker store will be located directly opposite Macy's world flagship store, at the intersection of Broadway, Avenue of the Americas and West 34th Street, where an estimated 100 million pedestrians pass by annually. Foot Locker will consolidate from three floors into 34,200 square feet on a portion of the ground floor and the entire second floor.