Reading this on a mobile device? Try our optimized mobile version here: http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/obnghMrCCCnSupSnVr

December 31, 2008 News for the retail industry   Industry Watch    App Store paying big dividends for Apple The iPhone's App Store has elicited about 10,000 applications from developers, some of whom are reaping windfalls from the vast popularity of the downloads that have totaled about 300 million -- most of them free -- since Apple released the 3G upgrade model in July. But while Apple earns 30% of the revenue from the downloads, the company hopes the App Store will help make the iPhone the dominant mobile-computing platform. The Washington Post (12/30) Kroger stores to host Titans playoff parties To celebrate the Tennessee Titans being in the National Football League playoffs, 10 Kroger stores in the state will host simultaneous Titans parties from 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 8. Each store will give away five pairs of tickets to the Jan. 10 game. The Murfreesboro Post (Tenn.) (12/30) Giant Food to offer free generic antibiotics Giant Food stores will give customers with a prescription free generic antibiotics from Friday through March 21. The program also will take place in Giant's sister chain, Stop & Shop. The Washington Post (12/31)   Feeling the Pinch in Today's Difficult Credit Market? Increasing credit costs can ripple through your business to affect longer-term plans that are essential to growth. Download the CFO Research Services report produced in collaboration with American Express: No Stone Unturned: Strategies for Cash Management in Hard Times to gain insight on how midsize companies are adapting in order to maintain their competitive positions under tough circumstances.     Retail trends    Wii, Kindle provide a little holiday cheer The 2008 holiday season wasn't all doom and gloom for consumer-electronics retailers. Nintendo's Wii game console and Amazon's Kindle e-book reader were two of the hottest items during the past two months, according to this report. "If people think it's going to be rare and in short [supply], they're more apt to make it more of a priority," NRF's Dan Butler said. The Washington Post (12/30) Heavy discounts don't prevent poor holiday performance Even the deep discounts retailers offered after Christmas aren't helping to improve the holiday-season performance. One analyst says January will be tough because "the first half of the month is dominated by gift-card redemptions, and to the extent that less [gift cards] were purchased, we expect it will dampen sales." The Wall Street Journal (free content) (12/31) Downturn doesn't stop Chinese shoppers Amid a global economic crisis, Chinese consumers haven't stopped shopping for most items, with November retail sales up 20.8% year over year. China Market Research Group surveys show 70% of shoppers there plan to spend as much next year as they did this year. Financial Times (free content) (12/30)   8 Strategies to Transform the Economics of Retailing Through creative strategies, enabled by powerful technology, retailers now have the unprecedented opportunity to transform the economics of their businesses. Download this FREE whitepaper to learn more about 8 business and technology strategies that are designed to meet today's challenges and size tomorrow's opportunity. And, visit Oracle Retail at NRF 2009 - Booth # 1319.     Retail Technology  Buying search ads can help e-retailers thrive Search-optimization expert Richard Zwicky explains how e-retailers can get good search results. Buy search ads on key words, and figure out how to get your business to the first page of search results. Internet Retailer magazine (12/2008)   Sponsored Content    A Small Business Wish List for 2009 Navigating The Murky Waters Sometimes, Fighting Is Good When Is a Recession an Opportunity in Disguise? Ten Tiny Things Every Small Business Owner Should Do in 2009   NRF News  ARTS to display ninth annual Standards Pavilion during NRF's BIG Show The Association for Retail Technology Standards will display its ninth annual Standard Pavilion during the National Retail Federation's Annual Convention & EXPO, being held Jan. 11 to 14 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The pavilion will showcase standards-based applications that meet the high ROI threshold of today's business climate. NRF's EXPO floor is open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12, and Tuesday, Jan. 13. Read the press release. SmartStat Half of retailers use competitive information to help determine where to locate new stores. Source: 2007 NRF Retail Real Estate study conducted by AMR Research   Shop till you drop at NRF's Silent Auction NRF's Annual Convention offers educational sessions, an extensive EXPO floor, endless networking opportunities and NRF Foundation's BIG SILENT AUCTION. The Silent Auction proceeds help fund the NRF Foundation's retail education, training and career-awareness programs that benefit retail companies, students and educators. Read the NRF BIG Show blog. Learn more about NRF -> Join NRF  |  Govt Relations  |  NRF Events  |  STORES  |  NRF Foundation   Chain Restaurant News  Domino's challenges Subway A new campaign from Domino's takes on Subway, saying national taste tests show the pizza chain's sandwiches taste better than Subway's. "We knew we would win in any side-by-side comparison, but the margin of victory was overwhelming even to us," Domino's CEO David Brandon said. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/30) Baskin-Robbins launching more healthful ice cream Baskin-Robbins is introducing BRight Choices, a line that includes reduced-fat and no-sugar-added ice cream, as well as dairy-free sorbet and fat-free frozen yogurt. All BRight Choices offerings will be indicated with a pink star decal, the company said. Bloomberg Businessweek/The Associated Press (12/29), MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (12/29)   Editor's Note  SmartBrief will not be published Thursday In observance of New Year's Day in the U.S., SmartBrief will not be published Thursday. Publication will resume Friday. Happy holidays!   Career Track  Applications Manager--POS PetSmart Phoenix, AZ Director, Operations Finance, Sam's Club Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Bentonville, AR Vice President of 24HourFitness.com 24 Hour Fitness San Ramon, CA Help Desk Manager Total Wine & More US-MD-Bethesda   SmartQuote  For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning." --T.S. Eliot, Nobel laureate in literature   Subscriber Tools       Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Grab our News Widget Publish your Press Release   Advertise Associate Publisher:  Susan W. Kim (202) 407-7877 Download Media Kit Job Board:  Celia Rothschild (202) 470-1159       Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 Monday, December 29, 2008 Friday, December 26, 2008 Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Tuesday, December 23, 2008     Lead Editor:  Megan Conniff Contributing Editor:  Faye Rapoport     Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005     © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information