News

Batteries Plus Bulbs powers omnichannel store connection
Hartland, Wis. – Batteries Plus Bulbs, a 650-store chain specializing in batteries, lightbulbs and personal electronics repair, has a fairly traditional offering of products and services. But that doesn’t stop the retailer from delivering a modern omnichannel customer experience.

“We’re a needs-based business,” said Jayson Serrault VP of omnichannel marketing and analytics, Batteries Plus Bulbs. “Customers come to us with a specific need that has some sense of urgency and immediacy.”
Report: Iconic supermarket chain may file Chapter 11
Montvale, N.J. – A supermarket chain that was founded two years before the Civil War began may be going the way of the Confederate flag.

According to the New York Post, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as this week.

No discount on IPO for Ollie’s Bargain Outlet

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet raised $143 million in a wildly successful initial public stock offering that positions the company for steady expansion of its 181 unit store base beyond core markets.

Ollie’s co-founder and CEO Mark Butler told Retailing Today that although the company has identified 950 suitable store locations, proceeds from the IPO will be used to repay debt and the company will maintain a measured pace of expansion.
Listen: The Changing Role of the Retail CMO

New York – Dan Berthiaume, senior editor of Chain Store Age, recently participated in a one-hour panel discussion, “Today’s Retail CMO – A New Outlook,” sponsored by SAP as part of its “Coffee Break with Game-Changers” Internet radio series. The discussion, broadcast live on the VoiceAmerica Internet media service, focused on how advances in cloud and digital technology are transforming the role of the chief marketing officer in retail.
Michaels is looking for fine artists

Michaels is teaming up with two of the world's biggest names in fine art to sponsor an omnichannel promotion for artists.

Michaels' Art Challenge: A Fine Art Competition will accept images of original artworks in oil or acrylic paint on canvas or watercolor on watercolor paper beginning July 26 and continuing through Aug. 15 at Michaels.com/artchallenge or in Canada at Canada.Michaels.com/artchallenge.
Footwear brand in deal with Target; updating stores

New York -- One of the nation’s most venerable children’s footwear brands has entered into a deal with Target. The brand is also updating its own in-store experience as it looks to align itself more directly with contemporary shoppers.

Stride Rite is launching Surprize by Stride Rite, an exclusive line of tyke-sized tennis shoes in Target, designed in partnership with Stride Rite.
California Gurl is H&M's holiday spokeswoman

It may be the middle of summer, but H&M executives have the busy Christmas shopping season on the brain: The retailer has already selected its holiday campaign spokeswoman.

Katy Perry announced on Instagram Thursday that she would appear in the retailer's 2015 holiday campaign.
Google in two big moves sure to impact retail

New York -- Google made two announcements on Wednesday, both of which will impact retail.

In the first, the search engine giant said that the “buy” buttons it announced earlier this year will be deployed on a test basis in the next few weeks. The feature, called Purchases on Google, will allow consumers to purchase products directly from ads in select promoted mobile search ads.
eBay sells unit ahead of PayPal spin-off; beats Street in Q2

San Jose, Calif. -- eBay is selling its enterprise business as it continues streamline operations in anticipation of its separation from PayPal Holdings Inc. on Friday.

In announcing its second quarter results, eBay said it was selling its eBay Enterprise division, which helps retailers enhance their online presence and e-commerce capabilities, to a consortium led by private equity firm Permira for $925 million.
NRF: Port statistic tracking would help avoid slowdowns

Washington, D.C. - The National Retail Federation (NRF) and more than 100 other business groups are formally calling for passage of legislation that would require the Transportation Department to track port statistics.

In a letter addressed to John Thune (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the NRF and its allies said this would help prevent a repeat of the congestion and slowdowns that occurred along the West Coast during the labor dispute resolved earlier this year.