News

Rite Aid says ‘Happy You Year’ with customer rewards
Camp Hill, Penn. - Rite Aid is ringing in the New Year by offering members of its wellness+ loyalty program the opportunity to receive lifestyle and entertainment rewards for every $50 spent in stores on participating products through Jan. 24. To participate in a promotion Rite Aid is calling “Happy You Year,” members of the wellness+ loyalty program can look for the red "Buy & Earn" symbol on store shelves.
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft partners with U.K.’s Craft Retail Group
Grand Rapids, Mich. - Craft Retail Group, part of the U.K.-based Ideal Shopping Direct multichannel retail shopping group, is launching the U.S. broadcast of its Create and Craft shopping network. The network, in partnership with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, offers products and brands across craft, sewing, quilting, knitting, and niche creative arts.

Cracker Barrel spices up social advertising

Lebanon, Tenn. – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is taking a decidedly new-fangled approach to promotion. The casual dining chain has enlisted Nashville-based advertising agency Redpepper to create a holiday-themed social marketing campaign. The promotion targets a younger, more social demographic with Facebook posts. Some posts in the campaign have received more than 10,000 interactions.
Oracle highlights Oracle Retail 14.1, Micros in Jan. 6 webinar

Redwood Shores, Calif. – Join Oracle Retail VP of strategy Andrea Morgan-Vandome on Tuesday Jan. 6 at noon ET as she shares the new developments of 14.1 combined with functionality through the acquisition of Micros. In this interactive webinar, attendees will hear first-hand how Oracle is able to delve deeper into mission-critical initiatives and offer retail-rich functionality.
Retail groups rebut financial industry payment card claims

Washington, D.C. - The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and six other merchant associations have sent a letter rebutting recent comments about payment card security from the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). Specifically, the letter outlines three points.
Study: Nearly all consumers research online

Washington, D.C. – Consumers research a purchase heavily online prior to making a purchase. According to a new study from business mentoring firm Score, almost all (97%) consumers search online for products and services.
comScore: Early holiday e-commerce results promising

Reston, Va. - Although full results aren’t in yet, holiday e-commerce sales in 2014 look like a healthy improvement from 2013. According to data from comScore, for the holiday season Nov. 1 through Dec. 21, $48.3 billion has been spent online, marking a 15% increase from the corresponding days the previous year.
Happy New Year from CSA!

Chain Store Age will be closed for the New Year’s holiday from December 31 through January 2. We will return to normal business hours—and publish again—on Monday, January 5. CSA wishes you and your family a very happy and healthy 2015. Cheers!
Product Spotlight: Property Payments

One of the more innovative real estate tech products to emerge in recent years is Property Payments, a collaboration between MasterCard and International Bancard. CSA talked with David Iafrate, CEO, International Bancard, about the new product and what it will deliver to the industry.

Has Property Payments officially launched?
Managing Your Real Estate: Technology Do’s and Don’ts

DO embrace technology: It can show you what you need BEFORE you set your feet on the ground. Google Earth/Street view can give you a sense of the macro-features, but remember that these online technologies can be six to 12 months out of date.

DO get a solid read on pedestrian traffic counts: Retailers thrive on quantity and quality of traffic. Technology exists to place traffic counters (passive devices) on properties to get not only the body count but also to identify the busiest hours, busiest days of the week and more.
Hot Chain, Hot Growth

Firehouse Subs has a lot more going for it than an interesting story. And the story is unique: A couple of Jacksonville firefighters — brothers, even — opened the first restaurant in 1994, selling sandwiches (with names like ‘Hook & Ladder,’ which is the No. 1 seller) within a decidedly firefighter-themed restaurant environment. The concept was hot from the get-go, leaping to over 300 units in its first decade and now numbering near 900 mostly franchised restaurants.
Smart Calculations

By Judah Regenstreif

As federal laws become increasingly strict and technology continues to advance, the necessity for a retailer to focus on long-term sustainability is crucial for continued growth. Companies are faced with the pressure to reduce energy and manage operating costs and maintenance expenses.