News

Focus On Facilities Management
Keeping stores in peak condition remains the top priority of retail facility managers, who are increasingly being asked to do more with less. Chain Store Age spoke with Lauryn Blank, CEO of Global Facility Management & Construction, about the impact of technology on store maintenance and other trends. She also provided some timely advice for winter challenges.
Ten Steps to Energy Efficiency
Curbing the rising cost of utilities can improve the bottom line

For multi-site retail companies, energy efficiency makes business sense. It allows retailers to reduce cost and risk, and create good will with investors, employees, customers and the government. Ultimately, it also helps improve the bottom line.

When it comes to energy management, reducing operating cost should be the focus where the cost of energy is a sizeable part of operating the business.

H&M Goes Big in the Big Apple

H&M’s new Fifth Avenue flagship in Manhattan is the fast-fashion giant’s largest store in the world, a whopping 57,000 sq. ft. — the size of a football field.

The interior is bright and buzzing with energy. Just inside the entry, mannequins are arranged on a tiered staircase display, echoing a fashion-show runway.

Beyond its sheer size, the store is a standout for a number of reasons.
Ace Deploys Intelligent Lighting Controls

Ace Hardware has saved an average of 81% on lighting-related energy use in its 1 million-sq.-ft. retail support center in Rocklin, California, since implementing a LED upgrade.

The upgrade, completed in October 2013, involved replacing 1,551 T5 fluorescent and 102 metal halide lamps with an intelligent LED system from Digital Lumens.
Title 24: Impact Extends Beyond California

On July 1, 2014, recent updates to the 2013 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards — Title 24 — went into effect.

The new, tougher standards are estimated to increase energy efficiency by 30% in non-residential buildings compared with the 2008 version.
Unclaimed Gift Card Balances

Litigation in Delaware could disrupt how retailers manage programs
Ensuring a Perfect Fit

Helping customers achieve a perfect fit the first time around is the holy grail for many online retailers, and there’s little mystery why: A less-than-ideal fit is the No. 1 reason online purchases are returned. It’s difficult for a consumer to visualize how an item on a digital screen will look on their body. It’s especially challenging for women’s apparel because no two brands size their products the exact same way.
Apple Pay: What Retailers need to know

By Howard W. Herndon
Mobile Devices Provide Effective Customer Data Channel

Retailers should take advantage of the constant availability of data created by near-ubiquitous mobile penetration among consumers, advised Michael Olmstead, director, Plug and Play Retail, a Silicon Valley-based global start-up accelerator and investor.

“Our generation has a constant in-flow of information, much of which we receive on our mobile electronics,” said Olmstead.
Loyalty on the Go

Rack Room Shoes builds mobile loyalty program from ground up
PCI Compliance Is a Holistic Effort

Bob Russo, general manager, PCI Security Standards Council, offers the following advice about complying with PCI Data Security Standards, including the upcoming October 2015 deadline for U.S. retailers to accept cards with Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV)-compliant chips.

No Single Security Solution: “As evidenced by recent high-profile breach incidents, keeping payment data secure in today’s world is an increasingly complex challenge,” explained Russo.
Do the Right Thing

Golden Pantry protects customer data with secure network