| November 13, 2012 | News for the retail industry |
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- Target, Toys R Us join quest for post-turkey shoppers
Toys R Us will open its stores at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, and Target will follow an hour later, joining a growing roster of retailers looking to kick off holiday shopping earlier than ever. Others, including Sears, Kmart, Wal-Mart and Lord & Taylor, already have announced plans to be open for at least a few hours on the holiday, and others including Macy's and Kohl's will open at midnight the morning of Black Friday. Chicago Sun-Times/The Associated Press
(11/12)     
 | 8 Supply Chain Strategies for Happy Customers
Delivering outstanding customer service is more important than ever in the face of today’s increasingly informed and savvy consumer. Doing so without increasing inventory and costs, however, is challenging. Download our whitepaper to learn 8 strategies for leveraging your supply chain to improve customer service. |
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| Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Best Buy's new CFO sees successful turnaround ahead
Williams-Sonoma veteran Sharon McCollam said the lure of being part of "one of the most exciting and important retail transformations of the decade" led her to abandon retirement and take the CFO post at Best Buy. McCollam acknowledges the chain's challenges, but says she has confidence that the company can turn things around and boost sales both in stores and online. The Wall Street Journal
(11/12)
- Target debuts new holiday ad spots
 Target's holiday ad campaign has changed course after two years, from spots featuring comedian Maria Bamford's "Crazy Target Lady" and "Christmas Champ," to manic musical tributes to holiday shopping deals from a pair dubbed The Deals Duet. Target unveiled the first two commercials Monday, which feature reworked Black Friday versions of "Deck The Halls" and "Do You Hear What I Hear." Adweek
(11/12)
- Victoria's Secret thrives on tried-and-true marketing
Limited Brands' marketing for Victoria's Secret may seem like a throwback, but it's working, writes Sapna Maheshwari. The annual network television special featuring nothing but lingerie and costume-clad women strutting down a runway had an audience of 11.5 million last year, the best ratings since 2002, and sales are up 7% in the past three quarters to $4.33 billion. Though the brand uses social media and e-mail for chatter, it relies on the show for what Chief Financial Officer Stuart Burgdoerfer calls its "emotional content." Bloomberg Businessweek
(11/12)
| Retail Trends | | |
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- Mom-and-pop shops shift away from daily deals
Some small retailers say daily deal sites allow them to spend less to acquire new customers, but a growing number are leaving Groupon, LivingSocial and other daily deal sites out of their holiday marketing plans this year, with many saying the services drive largely unprofitable business. Bloomberg Businessweek
(11/12)
| Retail Technology | | |
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- Instagram pics drive retail fashions for spring
Pictures of fur footwear, a hula hoop bag and other fashions and accessories tweeted and posted to Instagram from Celine's and Chanel's spring collection shows last month are driving demand and influencing what retailers will carry next season. “I always sell a ridiculous amount of product on Instagram and it doesn’t stop at jewelry or $850 shoes," said Fivestory owner Claire Distenfeld. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required)
(11/12)
- Visa officially debuts digital wallet V.me
Visa ended a yearlong beta and officially launched PayPal-like service V.me, which lets users pay online with a username and a password. The service debuted with about 50 merchant partners including Blue Nile, Buy.com and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. All Things D
(11/13)
| Main Street | | |
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- Why great employees take their talents elsewhere
Employees might choose to leave your company for several reasons; for example, they might be dissatisfied with the compensation they're receiving, Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter writes. Additionally, employees might leave if they don't have enough time off or if they are faced with unattainable goals. "Constantly moving the 'carrot' without regard for what it takes to reach it will usually wind up in a breakdown in morale and desire," Barrett-Poindexter writes. GlassDoor.com
(11/9)
| NRF News | | |
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NRF survey shows uptick in early-bird holiday shoppers
Exclusive deals on toys and fashion products have allowed many Americans to get a head start on their holiday shopping. A new NRF survey shows that over half of shoppers have already crossed off items on their list thanks to early promotions from retailers. The average holiday shopper will spend nearly $750 on holiday items this year, with fashion and apparel, gift cards and toys among the most requested items. Read more.
- 14 essential tactics to master mobile marketing
A new Google study shows that 61% of mobile users indicated they are unlikely to revisit a mobile site if they’ve had trouble viewing it on a phone. With 6.6 billion mobile connections made in 2011 alone, brands must continuously optimize mobile platforms to harness the opportunity of this unprecedented reach. In a white paper in the Shop.org library, Mobify explains best practices for mobile search, e-mail and social media marketing that are critical to maximizing opportunities in this space. Download the white paper.
| Chain Restaurant News | | |
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| Position Title | Company Name | Location |
| Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager | Total Wine & More | Potomac, MD |
| The Divisional Merchandise Manager - Ladies | Stein Mart | Jacksonville, FL |
| Sr. Food Buyer | 99¢ Only Stores | Los Angeles, CA |
| Sr. General Merchandise Buyer | 99¢ Only Stores | Los Angeles, CA |
| Oracle Retail Technical Consultant | Oracle America, Inc. | Nationwide, United States |
| Oracle Retail Business Consultant | Oracle America, Inc. | Nationwide, United States |
| Senior Vice President of Marketing | Total Wine & More | Potomac, MD |
| General Merchandise Manager | Five Below, Inc. | Philadelphia, PA |
| Merchandise Planner | Little Switzerland | St. Thomas, USA Virgin Islands |
| Advertising Manager | REI | Kent, WA |
| Channel Sales and Business Development | SLI Systems | San Jose, CA |
| Sales Director - East Coast | SLI Systems | New York/New Jersey, NY |
| Product Manager - Time Tool Optics/ NavCom | REI | Kent, WA |
| Market Development Representative | SLI Systems | San Jose, CA |
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| Click here to view more job listings. |
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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 | For the happiest life, rigorously plan your days, leave your nights open to chance."
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- Monday, November 12, 2012
- Friday, November 09, 2012
- Thursday, November 08, 2012
- Wednesday, November 07, 2012
- Tuesday, November 06, 2012
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More than four in 10 Americans will rely on debit cards as their primary form of payment this holiday season. Source: 
Quickservice restaurants and chains that were up and running quickly after Hurricane Sandy hit were most likely to rebound quickly from the storm, experts said last week. Suppliers including Sysco have gotten better at stocking store shelves in advance and restocking foodservice companies afterward, thanks to a large and growing cache of data gleaned from past natural disasters. 
