News

Rite Aid sales surge 5.3%
Rite Aid Corp. says sales at stores open at least a year grew 5.3% in December, boosted again by strengthening pharmacy sales.

Same-store sales at the Camp Hill, Pa.-based retailer grew 5.3% to $2.2. billion, beating analyst consensus of 4.5% and reflecting a 1.7% increase in front-end same-store sales and a 7.3% increase in pharmacy same-store sales.
TechBytes: Three Technologies That Will Disrupt Retail in 2015
Last week, I took a look back at three technologies that disrupted retail in 2014. Now that we are kicking off the first work week of the New Year, it’s time to look ahead at three technologies likely to disrupt retail in 2015.

Wearables

Intel invests $25 million in wearable tech vendor

Santa Clara, Calif. - Intel Corp. has made a $24.8 million investment into Vuzix Corp., a provider of wearable display technology video eyewear and smart glasses products in the consumer, commercial and entertainment markets. Vuzix is focused on next-generation optics and displays that have the potential to fit in fashion-based wearable glasses.

Intel's investment will be used for general working capital to accelerate the introduction of Vuzix next generation fashion-based wearable display products into the consumer market.
Starbucks, Walmart, Kroger execs make NRF's 'List of People Shaping Retail's Future'

Washington, D.C. -- Adam Brothman, chief digital officer of Starbucks, Melissa Reiff, president and COO of The Container Store, Rick Caruso, founder and CEO of Caruso Affiliated, and Greg Buzek, co-founder of the Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI) and president of IHL Goup are among the 25 individuals recognized by the NRF Foundation on its “The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future.”
Chick-fil-A probing possible data breach

The new year has brought new news of another data breach, this time involving fast food chicken giant Chick-fil-A.

Chick-fil-A Inc. confirmed it is investigating reports of potential unusual activity involving payment cards used at its restaurants. The Atlanta-based chicken chain said it received the initial report from its payment industry contacts late on Dec. 19.
Epicor completes acquisition of ShopVisible

Austin, Texas -- Epicor Software Corporation announced that it has completed its acquisition of privately held ShopVisible, a provider of cloud retail order management and digital commerce solutions.
Wet Seal gets $27 million default notice

Embattled teen retailer Wet Seal Inc. has defaulted on $27 million in senior convertible notes and related costs.

In a regulatory filing, Wet Seal said the total amount due is equal to $28.8 million, plus costs of collection, attorneys’ fees and disbursements.
Staples to award $25K to ‘ecovator’ schools

As part of its ongoing strategy to drive sustainability innovation, Staples will be giving away $25,000 in new tech products to 10 “eco-focused” schools in Canada in 2015.

Publicly funded schools that are focused on the environment are invited to enter the contest atStaples.ca/PowerEco and share their eco initiatives for a chance to win. The Staples Superpower your School Contest runs through Jan. 31.
Target to exit Canada

Just six months after being named chairman and CEO of Target, Brian Cornell is pulling the plug on the retailer’s 133 unit Canadian operation and will incur a $5.4 billion pre-tax loss in the fourth quarter to do so.

Target said it plans to discontinue operating stores in Canada through its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Target Canada Co. and that it had filed an application for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the “CCAA”) with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto.
Online returns set to surge in New Year

Retailers set more online sales records this holiday season and that means UPS will be busy in early January.

UPS is projecting its highest volume for return activity will be Jan. 6 when the carrier expects consumers will ship more than 800,000 packages back to retailers and merchants. By the end of the first full week of January, return volume is expected to total roughly four million packages.