News

Toy buyers, manufacturers, retailers and others, simply curious about the latest trends, gathered this week at the massive Javitz Center in New York City to see what would be the hottest products for 2012.

Technology continues to be a popular driver of new products, as evidenced by the number of toys designed specifically to work with the iPhone or iPad. However, there was also an apparent shift toward more simple toys, perhaps reflecting the current economy and the inability of many parents to shell out $100 on a toy that will only get played with a short while.

Supply chain optimization solutions provider Quintiq Inc., announced that Walmart selected the company’s next-generation load assignment and dispatch system to lower the total miles driven and improve fleet efficiency.

“We are delighted with Walmart's choice of Quintiq,” said Victor Allis, CEO of Quintiq. “We believe this demonstrates that no supply chain is too large or complex for our state-of-the-art supply chain optimization software.”

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s Inc. reported Thursday a fourth-quarter net income of $69.8 million, compared with $66.3 million last year. The company also announced plans to open a smaller-sized format, called Cabela’s Outpost Store, designed for markets with less than 250,000 people.

For the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011, Cabela’s revenue, increased 5.4% to $983.7 million, and same-store sales rose 1.7%. Retail store revenue increased 9.8% to $525.6 million.

MINNEAPOLIS — It's a common dilemma for retail stores; customers come in to check out the latest merchandise only to then buy it at a competitor's website. According to a new survey from market research fim ClickIQ, nearly half of consumers who have shopped online within the past six months first checked out the product at their local retail store and then made the purchase online, often from a different source.

Seattle -- Nordstrom reported Thursday that net earnings for the quarter ended Jan. 28 rose 1.7% to $236 million, compared with $232 million in the year-ago period.

Sales rose 12.5 % to $3.17 billion, and same-store sales increased 7.1%. Nordstrom Rack sales rose 17.7% in the quarter, to $85 million.

For the full year, total net sales were $10.5 billion, representing the highest in the company’s history. Net earnings were up 11.4% to $683 million, compared with $613 million a year earlier.

WAYNE, N.J. — When Tom Hanks danced across FAO Schwarz's giant piano in the movie "Big," it established the store's iconic status. Now celebrating its 150th anniversary, FAO Schwarz honor its legacy with in-store events, commemorative product offerings, a showcase of brand archives and an enhanced website that together will present the brand’s storied history.

WASHINGTON — The monthly Global Port Tracker report, released Wednesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to be down 6.8% in February from the same month a year ago. However, volumes should show year-over-year increases through most of the remaining first half of 2012.

Despite considerable efforts by Walmart in recent years to improve its reputation, a recent Harris Interactive Reputation Quotient poll shows the company has considerable room for improvement.

The study, now in its 13th year, surveyed 17,500 consumers about their perceptions of the 60 most visible companies in America. Not surprisingly, a fair number of those were major national retailers who have become household names. Walmart ranked 41st overall on the list of 60 companies and 10 other retailers were ranked ahead of Walmart.