News

Toys 'R' Us mum on Q4 outlook
Expense control and a more rational promotional environment helped Toys “R” Us reduce the size of its third quarter operating loss but the company had little to say about its outlook for Christmas sales and profits.
HGTV paints to launch at Lowe's
The paint competition will heat up in March as Lowe’s rolls out HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams.

The HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams product line will feature what both companies describe as “a new and improved interior and exterior paint program.” The line will be available at both Sherwin-Williams' company stores and Lowe's stores nationwide, as well as exclusive line extensions available at Lowe's.

McKinsey veteran to join Kroger board

Kroger announced that Nora A. Aufreter has been elected to the company's board of directors.
Hancock Fabrics taps EarthLink for comprehensive IT network solutions

ATLANTA - EarthLink Holdings Corp., a managed network and cloud solutions provider, announced that Mississippi-based Hancock Fabrics recently selected EarthLink to simplify infrastructure operations via a comprehensive, secure managed network solution. Once implemented throughout all locations, Hancock Fabrics will rely on its private EarthLink MPLS network to run in-store applications including point-of-sale, inventory management and employee communications and training.
Publix tops J.D. Power survey for fifth consecutive year

LAKELAND, Fla.- For the fifth consecutive year, Publix Pharmacy is the highest-ranking pharmacy in overall satisfaction in the supermarket segment according to J.D. Power & Associate Satisfaction Survey, a customer satisfaction benchmark study that provides pharmacy-specific performance comparisons among brick and mortar pharmacies.
Tech Guest Viewpoint - Loyalty programs: Time to sign up for retailers

By Shannon Warner, Cognizant Technology Solutions Talk about a gap: 62% of shoppers say loyalty program membership is beneficial, but only 26% consider retailers’ programs worth joining.
Study: Gift card sales to surpass $124 billion

Arlington, Va. - Gift cards will surpass $124 billion in sales in 2014, up 5% from 2013. According to from advisory firm CEB TowerGroup, the gift card market should undergo an annual growth rate of 5-6% through 2017, but double-digit growth rates experienced in recent years have peaked and subsided.
Study: Gift card sales to surpass $124 billion

Arlington, Va. - Gift cards will surpass $124 billion in sales in 2014, up 5% from 2013. According to from advisory firm CEB TowerGroup, the gift card market should undergo an annual growth rate of 5-6% through 2017, but double-digit growth rates experienced in recent years have peaked and subsided.
Papa John’s accepts Google Wallet Instant Buy

Louisville, Ky. – Payment just got faster for Papa John’s customers with Android phones. Papa John’s International Inc. will now begin accepting Google Wallet Instant Buy as a payment method for delivery and carry-out orders placed through the Android app. Customers can press the "Buy with Google" button at checkout to complete their order. Papa John’s also announced that for the first time, digital and mobile channels account for more than 50% of its total U.S. sales.
‘Wired’ opens holiday New York pop-up, LAX e-shop

San Francisco – To serve the needs of tech-oriented holiday shoppers, “Wired” is opening a pop-up store in New York City and an e-shop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The annual holiday pop-up in New York showcases items hand-selected by “Wired” editors and curators, and will be open Dec. 11-21.
Specialty retailer Sabon boosts digital holiday sales with Dynamic Yield personalization

New York – Omnichannel specialty bath and beauty product brand Sabon boosted its online sales 35% during Black Friday and Cyber Monday by implementing Dynamic Yield’s personalization engine. Sabon saw lifts across key metrics including user engagement, total page views, time spent on site and sales.
Natural Grocers to open 18 new stores, acquires Nature’s Pantry

Independence, Mo. – Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. plans to open 18 new stores in fiscal 2015. As part of the plan, Natural Grocers has closed its previously announced agreement to acquire natural foods retailer Nature’s Pantry Inc. in Independence, Missouri. The transaction closed on Dec. 7, and Natural Grocers began officially operating as a Natural Grocers store on Dec. 8.