News

Belk gives $21.5M to communities
Belk’s efforts on community involvement received a boost in 2015, as the company reported that it donated more than $21.5 million to local communities last year.

Of the total amount, Belk corporate dollars funded $6.1 million to more than 250 nonprofit organizations, with a focus on education, breast cancer research and awareness, and community strengthening, the company said. The remainder of the funding includes associate, vendor and customer dollars raised in Belk-led charitable events, including the Belk Charity Sale.
AAFES engages with suppliers in new initiative
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) recently conducted a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to simplify the process of selling to the major retailer.

Working with the American Logistics Association, AAFES participated in the trade group’s 2015 Exchange Impact Workshop in Dallas. Led by AAFES Chief Merchandising Officer Ana Middleton, she and more than 50 AAFES representatives detailed the Exchanges’ go to market strategy to an audience comprised of manufacturers, brokers, distributors, and service providers.

Destination XL posts double-digit comps

Destination XL Group Inc. reached a new level of performance in the fourth quarter with a whopping 16.4% same store sales increase.
Land’s End flounders after Sears split

Separating itself from Sears Holdings a year ago has not helped Land’s End financial footing judging from the company’s fourth quarter profit and same store sales decline.

Land’s End sales declined 4.9% to $504.6 million and net income declined 28% to $33.1 million in the fourth quarter ended Jan. 30. Merchandise sales and services were negatively impacted by a $3.4 million product recall in the quarter that negatively impacted net income by $2.6 million.
Fred's Super Dollar to acquire Tenn. drugstore chain for $66M

Fred's Super Dollar has signed an agreement to acquire Reeves-Sain Drug Store, a private specialty and retail pharmacy company based in the Nashville, Tenn., area.
Barnes & Noble tells a social media tale

Barnes & Noble is launching a Twitter giveaway to promote its famous in-store Storytimes.

The bookseller announced that its April lineup of free Storytime events includes a Picture Book of the Month selection, as well as a Twitter giveaway to encourage parents and children to attend.
Retailers’ omnichannel shortcomings revealed again

Yet another study has documented retailers’ inability to keep pace with shoppers’ heightened expectations for a seamless experience driven by all manner of technological advancements.
Retailers are about to find Facebook more friendly

Facebook is aiming to revolutionize the way customers communicate with retailers by re-inventing the customer service platform.

The tech giant is inviting retailers and other companies to develop software that allows customers to communicate instantly with them through Facebook Messenger. Facebook and its partner Zendesk, a customer service platform firm, are teaming up to allow businesses to provide scalable and responsive customer service to the more than 600 million people worldwide who use Messenger.
Five Below to open 70 stores in 2015

Teen and tween specialty retailer Five Below is accelerating store growth this year even though its relatively young store base mustered a modest 3.2% fourth quarter same store sales increase.

Five Below opened 62 new stores last year compared to 60 units the prior year to end the year with 366 locations in 21 states. The additional selling space and a 3.2% comp increase caused sales to increase 24.4% to $264 million from $212 million. Profits increased to $33.3 million compared to $24.8 million.
Christopher & Banks swings to Q4 profit

Minneapolis – Christopher & Banks Corp. on Tuesday swung to a profit of $32.2 million for the fourth quarter, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.

Net sales totaled $98.0 million, as compared to $104.9 million for the year-ago period. During the quarter, the company operated an average of 7.0% fewer stores than during the comparable period last year, reflecting its store conversion program.

The retailer posted revenue of $98 million in the period.
Five Actions To Take Immediately After a Cyber Attack

By Todd Weller, Hexis Cyber Solutions

For retailers, it’s now no longer a matter of “if” you will be compromised by a cyberattack, but “when” you will be. But they can mitigate the impact of attacks now and in the future by preparing a response plan with policy-based automation.
Perfumania redesigns digital presence

Bellport, N.Y. – Perfumania Holdings is launching a new digital corporate platform. Conceived and built by Ready Set Rocket, the new Perfumania digital corporate presence includes a fully redesigned corporate website.

In addition, Ready Set Rocket set forth a digital strategy for the new Perfumania Holdings digital corporate identity focused on the following core elements: