News

Kohl's aims to be the place for holiday toys
Kohl’s is looking to get a leg up on the competition this holiday season with an early lineup of the hottest toys this December.

The retailer’s top toys for the holiday season include an exclusive assortment from Star Wars and trusted national brands, including Barbie, Fisher-Price and Melissa & Doug.
RILA: DOL overtime proposal creates enormous burdens for employers
Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association issued a strenuous objection to what it called the Department of Labor’s “flawed” overtime proposal.

Macy’s to close 35 to 40 stores

Cincinnati -- The ax fell at Macy’s on Tuesday.

In the name of optimizing its omnichannel approach, Macy's said it plans to close between 35 and 40 namesake stores in early 2016 even as its moves ahead with expansion of its new off price format, Macy’s Backstage.
Labor shortage could (negatively) affect holiday sales

A tightening job market may add a new wrinkle to retailers' holiday hiring plans, according to a new report from CNBC.

As online sales growth continues to outpace that at physical stores, experts say retailers are already having trouble filling positions in the heart of their digital operations: their warehouses.

Read more by clicking here.
Gymboree aims for roaring sales

On the heels of the most successful Jurassic Park movie ever, Gymboree is looking to leverage the popularity of dinosaurs with a new collection inspired by a new dinosaur-themed series on Netflix.
Retailer goes on hiring binge for next big holiday

Livonia, Mich. -- It’s Labor Day, time to start thinking about Halloween.

In anticipation of one it calls of the largest retail holidays in the U.S., costume superstore, Halloween City, is creating thousands of temporary jobs to staff the hundreds of Halloween City stores now opening across the country.

The retailer is recruiting up to 10,000 new employees to fill temporary management and store associate positions nationwide.
Report casts doubt on proposed Staples-Office Depot merger

New York -- A new report suggest that the Federal Trade Commission is unlikely to approve the merger between Staples and Office Depot.

The report, by 24/7 Wall St., cites on a market-share argument that the proposed combination imperils competition.

To read the story, click here.
True Value expands again in PIttsburgh

The True Value Company family has expanded with the addition of Pittsburgh-based Busy Beaver Home Improvement Centers.
Three Millennial Social Trends and the Retail IT Response

Back in September 2013, I wrote a TechBytes column about how millennials aren’t that different from prior young generations in their interests and needs. I have since realized there are a few unique millennial social trends which reflect specific generational consumer attributes. Using leading-edge technology, retailers can effectively meet the generational needs of this increasingly important customer demographic.

Rock is Dead
And the one bright spot at Gap Inc. is ...

Gap Inc.’s sales slump continued in August across all its brands with one notable exception.