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Charlotte, N.C. – The store is still the center of profit, and Belk Inc. is focusing on increased control, efficiency and visibility of workforce activities to maximize that profit. Belk has implemented Reflexis Workforce Manager, Reflexis Time & Attendance, Reflexis Task Manager, and Reflexis Advanced Analytics & Reporting to streamline corporate-to-store communication, track completion status of important tasks and projects, increase labor efficiency, reduce costs, and comply with complex labor laws.

New York -- The outlook for the retail industry looks bright, with lower prices at the pump and decreasing unemployment boding well for consumer spending. Retail sales are expected to rise 4.5% in 2015, which is about one percentage point stronger than 2014 growth, according to a report by Kantar Retail, whose analysis excludes automobile dealers, and gas and food service.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – In a move that was somewhat expected, The Wet Seal Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move comes a week after the struggling teen retailer said it was closing 338 of its stores, leaving it with approximately 173 stores nationwide.

“After careful consideration, the Board of Directors unanimously concluded that filing for Chapter 11 was the appropriate course of action for the Company,” said CEO Ed Thomas.

In reviewing Target’s troubled expansion into Canada, Kantar Retail breaks down the misfires into a finance-operations model:

BRAND

Home Depot’s CEO Craig Menear will take over as chairman of the board when Frank Blake retires Feb. 2.

Menear, formerly head of Home Depot’s retail operations, was named Blake’s successor as CEO in August, and the company said at the time that Blake would remain as chairman. Menear took over the CEO role at the beginning of November.

Unilever is trying to grow sales of men’s skin care products by targeting fathers with innovative workshops at Sam’s Club.

Dove Men+Care and Family First's national nonprofit fatherhood program, All Pro Dad, will present All Pro Dad in-Club interactive workshops at 60 Sam's Clubs in the Top 30 markets across the country on Jan. 17.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is making it easier for disabled veterans to buy gas at 370 of its stores worldwide thanks to a full-service initiative called FuelCall.

As media companies increasingly look for ways to boost profitability, the New York Times is leveraging its brand recognition by launching an overhaul of the New York Times Store.

The store is the online destination for shoppers seeking New York Times branded merchandise. But the new store will also sell personalized products that are curated for and recommended to each individual shopper, in addition to bestsellers like classic photography, newspaper reprints, sports memorabilia and books, as well as a wide selection of autographed and historical items.

Inventory visibility is a prerequisite for retailers executing omnichannel strategies, which is why RFID is enjoying a resurgence and something called the Tagged Item Performance Protocol holds great promise.

Inventory visibility has always been important in retail, but never more so than today when retailers of all types are looking to execute omnichannel strategies that involve ship from store and return to store capabilities. Omnichannel creates all sorts of new supply chain challenges that make it more difficult to keep tabs on inventory.

Walmart and Virgin Mobile USA are teaming up on an aggressive effort to grow sales by leveraging the popularity of shared mobile data plans.

The companies have launched the industry’s first no-contract data sharing plans, available exclusively at Walmart.