News

Seattle -- Starbucks announced it has tapped Google to provide the next generation of its WiFi offering to its customers nationwide. Over the next 18 months, Starbucks will convert more than 7,000 U.S. stores to Google’s upgraded store network and WiFi experience.

AT&T, which currently provides Starbucks’ wireless access, will be replaced by the new initiative. Google will increase speeds and enable users to surf the web up to 10-times faster, according to Starbucks.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market reported that its net income in the third quarter increased 21% to $142 million, better than analysts had expected. The company also sounded a bullish note about expansion.

Walter Robb, co-CEO, Whole Foods, said the company continues to gain market share and still sees the potential for 1,000 stores in the United States alone. It currently operates 355 U.S. locations.

New York -- CIT Group Inc., the largest commercial lender in the U.S. apparel industry, has stopped supporting deliveries from smaller manufacturers to J.C. Penney stores, the New York Post reported on Wednesday.

The reason for the crackdown could not be immediately confirmed, the report said, but insiders speculated that CIT got nervous after getting a peek at Penney’s financials.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation, Food Marketing Institute and Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) both issued statements applauding the ruling on the Federal Reserve Swipe Fee Regulation. The groups were responding to a U.S. District Court ruling on Wednesday that the implementation rules for debit swipe fee reform established by the Federal Reserve were inconsistent with the intent of the law.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal, Inc. has selected the Demandware Commerce platform to help support omni-channel operations. The specialty apparel retailer will leverage the solution to provide optimal online and mobile shopping services in a secure environment, integrated with its larger merchandising strategy.

Hayward, Calif. – Posiflex is unveiling a roadmap of new POS, digital signage and wireless terminals at the RetailNOW conference in Las Vegas next week. The products include the Posiflex HS All-in-One solution, a 10-inch POS touch-screen terminal including a three-inch printer that can be configured to include an MSR, smart card reader, fingerprint sensor and a range of secondary customer displays.