| November 4, 2009 |
News for the retail industry
|
 |
 |
|
- Amazon extends book discounts beyond pre-orders
The ongoing book price war among Amazon, Wal-Mart and Target has moved beyond pre-orders. Amazon is offering hardcover copies of books that were officially released Tuesday, such as Barbara Kingsolver's "The Lacuna" and John Grisham's "Ford County," for $9. The books typically sell for $24 or more. Wal-Mart and Target had also cut the price of the books, but not by as much. Google/The Associated Press
(11/3)
    
- Borders' new in-stock guarantee covers items sold on Web site
As retailers battle over book buyers' dollars, Borders Group announced that it will ship items to consumers' homes for free when the item is not in stock in the retail outlets. If an item is available at Borders.com, but not in a Borders store, the company will pay the shipping costs. Reuters
(11/3)
- Family Dollar sets expansion plans
Family Dollar plans to expand its store and customer base, and support the shift with an advertising campaign. The retailer will open new locations, in addition to redeveloping older stores with improved signage and merchandising. Reuters
(11/3)
- CompUSA to open store in Houston
Two years after filing for bankruptcy and closing its Houston stores, electronics retailer CompUSA is returning to the city with plans to open a store in time for the holiday season. The new 455,000-square-foot store, which will be in the Village Plaza at Bunker Hill, is slated to open by Black Friday. American City Business Journals/Houston
(10/30)
 | How do today's best-in-class retailers optimize service, sales and profits with POS? Aberdeen knows, and you can too! This free white paper presents surprising survey results on leading POS strategies and KPIs, competitive frameworks, case study profiles, plus recommendations for turning your POS into a dynamic marketing tool. |
- NRF warns "buyer beware" on items found on discount Web sites
The National Retail Federation is warning online shoppers about buying goods, particularly pharmaceuticals and personal-care products, through auction Web sites, such as eBay. The group says products on such third-party sites could be tainted, stolen or pose other risks. "Most stolen merchandise is not stored properly and could expose unsuspecting shoppers or their children to a host of risks from spoiled baby formula and pain medication to inaccurate results from diabetic test strips or pregnancy tests," said Joe LaRocca, senior asset protection adviser at NRF. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration)
(11/3)
, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)
(11/3)
- Analysts expect to see growth in October retail sales
October retail sales were better than expected for many retailers, analysts found, indicating that consumers might be ready to return to their shopping ways. Analysts are projecting that October sales climbed 1% to 2% from last October. Executives at retailers, many of which will report October sales Thursday, say autumn has brought in more shoppers, which could help lend momentum to the holiday season. The Wall Street Journal
(11/4)
- Retailers get a jump on the holiday season
 In an attempt to avoid the disappointing holiday season of 2008, retailers are carrying less merchandise and slashing prices earlier to woo customers this year. Ellen Davis, vice president of the National Retail Federation, said the retailers have been preparing for the holiday season all year by curbing their inventory. Retailers also are using technology to bring in more sales by advertising on social-media sites such as Facebook and sending coupons to consumers' cell phones. National Public Radio
(11/2)
 | In this free report from privacy expert Larry Ponemon, of the renowned Ponemon Institute, get more than 500 consumers' views on Internet fraud, privacy, device fingerprinting, security, cookies, passwords, and more. This report contains priceless insight on consumers' views of fraud prevention, privacy, and the delicate balance between the two — download now. |
| Retail Technology |  | |
|
- Video network debuts at 7-Eleven stores
A digital video network called 7-Eleven TV has been installed in 60 7-Eleven stores in California, Florida and Texas, and plans are in place for 6,200 more by the end of 2010. The network, provided by Digital Display Networks, delivers product and promotion information, as well as other relevant content, with programming in four-minute loops. Brandweek
(11/3)
| NRF News | | |
|
-
NRF SmartStat: Nov. 4, 2009
 Almost nine in 10 retailers with strong year-over-year growth say a customer-centric approach is one of the top three most important factors to business success. Source: NRF Retail Reference Center white paper
- Cirque du Soleil reaches new heights at NRF's BIG Show
At NRF's BIG Show, Jan. 10 to 13, the DESiGN STUDiO will play host to the creative minds behind Cirque du Soleil's reinvented front-of-house experience. Hear about Cirque's approach to their space, its importance to the brand, the sources of inspiration used in the creation of a sky-breaking design, and how operational realities were addressed and engineered. Learn more.
| Chain Restaurant News | | |
|
| Career Track | | |
|
 | |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 Manager, Community Platforms (QVC.com) | QVC, Inc. | West Chester, PA |
| Sales Director, Technology Sales to Online Retailers | HookLogic, Inc. | New York |
| Designer | Tween Brands | New Albany, OH |
| eCommerce Marketing Manager | Spencer Gifts | Egg Harbor Township, NJ |
| Category Manager | Lifetime Brands, Inc. | Garden City, New York |
| Buyer | Tween Brands | New Albany, OH |
| Assistant Director of Retail Operations | University of Illinois at Chicago | Chicago, IL (US) |
| Web Site Manager | Lifetime Brands, Inc. | Garden City, NY |
| Director IT Application Delivery - Logistics Systems | Gap Inc. | Erlanger, Kentucky |
 UNIX Systems Administrator | VanderHouwen & Associates | US-WA-Seattle |
| Manager - IT Columbus, Ohio Data Center | JCPenney | US-OH-Columbus |
|
|
|
 |
|  |
|
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it."
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
| |
| | Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues:
- Tuesday, November 03, 2009
- Monday, November 02, 2009
- Friday, October 30, 2009
- Thursday, October 29, 2009
- Wednesday, October 28, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Megan Conniff
Contributing Editor: Faye Rapoport
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2009 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
