OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

EMV is here – sort of
The highly anticipated EMV deadline of Oct. 1 has come and gone, leaving many retailers and payment solutions providers to ponder what’s next? As of Oct. 1, 2015, any U.S. retailer that does not have the necessary POS hardware, software, and operational and network protocols in place to process an EMV-compliant chip card transaction faces a shift in fraud liability.
Former Gap CEO joins eBay board
eBay is turning to the former chief executive of a major specialty retailer to help provide its board of directors some guidance.

Paul Pressler, who served as president and CEO of Gap Inc. from 2002-2007, has been named to eBay’s board and will serve on the Audit Committee as well as the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

Old Navy exec sets sail to become CEO of Ralph Lauren

The top executive at Gap Inc.’s fastest growing division, Old Navy, has resigned to become CEO of Ralph Lauren.

Gap Inc. said that Stefan Larsson would step down as global president of Old Navy effective October 2, 2015, and the division would be led on an interim basis by Jill Stanton, executive VP of global product at Old Navy.
Report: The leading type of retailer ready for EMV is…

The mandate for retailers to accept chip-enabled, EMV-compliant payment cards starts Oct. 1. But how ready an individual retailer is may depend on what type of retailer they are.

At least that’s according to a new study from The Strawhecker Group (TSG), which shows that a leading 69% of shoe stores and 59% of department stores have EMV-ready POS terminals .

On the lower end of the spectrum, 24% of bookstores and 23% of stationery stores have EMV-ready terminals. Previous TSG research shows that 27% of all retailers will be EMV-ready by Oct. 1.
NRF: Life will continue with EMV

Despite all the commotion surrounding the Oct. 1 deadline for U.S. retailers to accept EMV-compliant payment cards, the National Retail Federation (NRF) expects no drastic shifts to occur.
GameStop increases holiday hiring

GameStop must know something other retailers don’t judging from the retailer’s plans to increase holiday hiring.

Other retailers who have announced season hiring plans kept this year’s projections at or near last year’s levels, but GameStop said it will increase holiday hiring by 12% and bring on 28,000 workers at its 6,800 stores and other facilities.
Free Returns: An Obstacle for e-Commerce

Studies indicate that online shoppers abandon websites that do not offer free returns shipping. This only makes sense, as the allure of e-commerce is convenience, a broad selection of merchandise, and competitive prices. Free shipping — from delivery through return — keeps the total purchase price similar to in-store shopping.

But there are two sides to free returns.

1. Free Returns Increase Sales
New CEO Sought at Tuesday Morning

Michael Rouleau was never seen as a long-term leadership solution as Tuesday Morning’s CEO, but the veteran retailer’s abrupt departure with no immediate successor named reveals the off-price retailer lacked a succession plan.

The company said Rouleau, 77, will remain in a consultative capacity until March 31, 2016 and that it had created a new Office of the Chairman led by current Board Chairman Steven Becker to support oversight of the company’s strategic initiatives until a new CEO can be hired.
Academy Sports makes CEO change

Academy Sports and Outdoors named former Meijer president James Kevin Symancyk to the role of president and CEO in a move that suggests the retailers private equity owners could be eyeing a public stock offering.

Symancyk, 43, will assume his new responsibilities on Nov. 2, when current president and CEO Rodney Faldyn steps down after 10 years with the operator of more than 200 large format, full line sporting goods stores.
IBM keeps offering new retail capabilities

IBM aims to let retailers get more personal with their customers. As part of a general release of new cloud-based industry platforms, IBM is introducing a Retail Consumer Experience platform.