Top Story

• H&M to fill former ESPN Zone in Times Square
  H&M has signed a deal to take over the three-floor Times Square space that used to house ESPN Zone, further evidence of the New York City tourist mecca's transition to a destination for affordable fashion. Forever 21, American Eagle Outfitters and Aeropostale have all opened shop in spaces that used to house souvenir shops and other Times Square tourist-oriented retail. The Wall Street Journal (10/7)     

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Industry Watch

• Sears executive: Layaway pays off despite the risk
  Layaway may make it tougher for merchants to manage inventory, but offering cash-strapped shoppers a way to pay for their holiday shopping is worth the risk, said Sears and Kmart merchandising chief Ron Boire. “[Layaway] customers are more valuable. They buy more, and at the end of the day, they become more loyal to the brand.” CNBC (10/6)     

• Wal-Mart, American Express partner on prepaid card
  Wal-Mart and American Express have teamed to create Bluebird, a reloadable prepaid card with no minimum balance and no monthly, annual or overdraft fees, the companies announced Monday. The card is designed to provide customers with an alternative to debit cards and checking accounts and make it easier to manage their finances, said Daniel Eckert, Wal-Mart's vice president of financial services. The Wall Street Journal/The Associated Press (10/8)     

• Andersons aims to change with its customers
  Maumee, Ohio-based general merchandise retailer The Andersons has renovated the home goods departments at its five large stores, adding 10,000 new soft-line items in the past two years to keep up with changing shopper trends. “If you can bring in the right merchandise that differentiates you a lot from other competitors, if you can bring in styles that you can’t get anywhere else, that’s where you’re going to grow,” said NRF senior vice president Mike Gatti. The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) (10/7)     

Retail Trends

• Will monthly sales reports mean anything?
  Target's announcement last week that it will stop reporting monthly same-store sales results next year will leave only 19 retailers reporting, down from 32 two years ago and 50 five years ago. The retailer's decision raises the question of whether the monthly reports of a handful of retailers can be a relevant gauge of the industry's performance. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (10/4)     

• The mystery behind holiday pricing
  An analysis from the Wall Street Journal finds the best holiday deals are rarely found on the day after Thanksgiving, but instead vary depending on the item. For example, Ugg boots get more expensive during the holiday shopping season, but are cheaper in September and October, while the price of a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer drops as the holiday season progresses. The Wall Street Journal (10/8)     

• Specialty clothing stores gained workers in September
  Specialty apparel stores added 9,500 jobs last month, part of the overall gain of 114,000 that helped push the nation's unemployment rate from 8.1% to 7.8%, according to the Labor Department. The growth caps five consecutive months of specialty-store job gains, said Moody's Analytics economist Scott Hoyt. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (10/7)     

Retail Technology

• Best Buy expands Geek Squad through eBay and Target
  Best Buy's Geek Squad is selling its tech-support services on eBay and is testing the waters at Target stores in Denver and Minneapolis. "They're trying to make Geek Squad a ubiquitous, stand-alone brand that stands for great help around your technical problems," NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker said. Bloomberg (10/8)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by NRF SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Penney's overhaul proves a boon to vendors (The Wall Street Journal)

• J.C. Penney chief sees better days ahead (Women's Wear Daily)

• Macy's to add Finish Line shops (Women's Wear Daily)

• How the election will affect retailers' holiday campaigns (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Target tries on toy exclusives with a QR twist (Reuters)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Policy & Government Affairs

• The pros and cons of plastic-bag bans
  Dozens of countries and cities have enacted bans on plastic shopping bags and many more are considering bans, says Daniella Dimitrova Russo, co-founder and executive director of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, which makes the environmental case for the bans. Meanwhile, some say the costs of the bans far outweigh the benefits. The Wall Street Journal (10/8)     

NRF News

• Hawaii small business owner: “We believe we can change the world, one dress at a time”
  As owner of Honolulu’s Eden in Love, Tanna Dang, has combined her love for retail to be a catalyst for change, living by the mantra, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” In a recent interview on Retail’s BIG Blog, Dang explains how she balances work, play and philanthropy, the best career advice she’s received, and her thoughts on the wide range of career opportunities in retail. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (10/8)

• NRF SmartStat: Oct. 8, 2012
  Americans intend to spend an average of $23.56 on Halloween decorations this year, up from $19.79 last year. Source: NRF survey conducted by BIGinsight.     

• NRF's 2012 Holiday Headquarters is open for business
  NRF's 2012 Holiday Headquarters is officially open, offering retailers a fresh twist on holiday resources, including a fully interactive Holiday Survival Kit and Shop.org’s first-ever e-commerce holiday sales forecast. If you're a retailer, reporter or industry pro, you can access all of NRF's holiday press releases, survey results, top tips, guidelines, blog posts, frequently-asked holiday questions and historical holiday information, all in one spot. Learn more.     

Chain Restaurant News

• Dave & Buster's puts IPO plans on hold
  Dave & Buster's canceled plans to go public in an IPO that was expected to launch last Friday and bring in up to $100 million, citing less-than-optimal market conditions. Some restaurant companies including Outback Steakhouse parent Bloomin' Brands and Mexican chain Chuy's Holdings have seen success with public offerings this year, while others including Hardee's and Carl's Jr. parent CKE have also put IPO plans on hold. The Wall Street Journal (10/5)     

• Other News

• Fans bemoan the Pumpkin Spice Latte shortage
  The Wall Street Journal (10/5)     

Position Title Company Name Location Retail Associate Merchandise Manager Hallmark Kansas City, MO Senior Vice President of Marketing Total Wine & More Potomac, MD Director of Marketing Saks Fifth Avenue Palm Beach Gardens, FL Brand Ambassador - Chanel Ready-To-Wear Saks Fifth Avenue Miami - Dadeland, FL Associate Buyer Floor and Decor Smyrna, GA Executive Assistant TracyLocke Wilton, CT Associate Buyer, Children's Books Barnes & Noble Inc. New York, NY Buyer Barnes & Noble Inc. New York, NY Corporate Safety Manager OfficeMax Naperville, IL

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SmartQuote

The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun." --John D. Rockefeller, American industrialist and philanthropist