News

Total U.S. shopper traffic in retail stores and malls for April 2012

Warm weather and shifting holidays in March caused retail foot traffic to dip in April. Retail foot traffic in April was 7.6% lower from March, and 2.7% lower on a year-over-year basis.  The slow April is the first in the past 3 months to experience a decline in year-over-year and month-over-month retail foot traffic.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears has launched SearsLocalAd.com, an online service that provides customers with access to additional local deals beyond the weekly Sears print circular or Sears.com. The online shopping portal is dedicated to local customers, allowing them to shop smarter by previewing new local deals updated every week, and includes enhancements for Sears' Shop Your Way Rewards members.

NEW YORK — Sears has partnered withBonnier Corp., publisher of Outdoor Life magazine to launch an exclusive line of Outdoor Life branded sportswear for men.The line will be available in more than 800 Sears stores nationwide and on Sears.com, beginning September.

SAN FRANCISCO — Shoppers who use their Visa cards when making purchases at discount stores and grocery stores/supermarkets will no longer have to sign for them if they spend less than $50. Beginning in October, discount stores and grocery stores/supermarkets in the U.S. can accept Visa cards for transactions up to $50 without requiring a cardholder signature or PIN, or providing a customer receipt unless requested by the cardholder.

PLEASANTON, Calif. and WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States is praising Safeway's efforts to establish a gestation stall-free supply chain.

Safeway annnounced Monday that, due to concernes over animal welfare, it is working toward the goal of purchasing pork from producers that have made commitments to decreasing gestation stalls in their breeding facilities.

NEW YORK — Apparel manufacturer Kellwood Company has named Jill Granoff as CEO. Granoff brings a vast knowledge of the fashion industry and retailing to the position with over 20 years of brand building and executive leadership experience.

Washington, D.C. -- Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports will be flat in May compared with the same month last year, but is expected to see solid year-over-year increases through this summer and the back-to-school season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

New York -- Barneys New York said that it has reached an agreement with its largest lender, Perry Capital and other lenders to significantly reduce the retailer’s debt and improve its capital structure. Under the arrangement, Perry Capital has become the majority owner of Barneys. Under a debt-for-equity swap with Perry Capital, as well as other lenders, Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos and current owner Istithmar World, the chain's long-term debt will fall to $50 million from $590 million. The deal makes Perry Capital the majority owner of Barneys.

By Robin Lewis, [email protected] and Michael Dart, [email protected]

Hollywood, Calif. -- Frederick's of Hollywood Group Inc. has retained Allen & Co. LLC, a New York-based investment bank, to assist the retailer in evaluating and exploring a broad range of strategic alternatives, including a sale of the company or a business combination.