Piles of scary merchandise overseen by the nearly dead are nothing new for Sears. But making that impression on purpose? That’s a switch. Sears has opened 10 free-standing Totally Ghoul Halloween stores in suburban Chicago, loaded with party goods, decorations and costumes for all ages. Joe Subleski, manager of the Totally Ghoul store in Crystal Lake, Ill., told the Northwest Herald that...
Retail Industry Archive
September 2008
Ann Taylor Stores Corp. was outed this week for treating employees like widgets and nobody noticed. I expected more hue and cry after a Wall Street Journal story detailed the impact that workforce management software has on retailers, including an Ann Taylor store in suburban Pennsylvania whose nice retired first grade teacher saleslady’s hours were cut drastically after the tracking...
The Rocky Mountain News bestowed the kiss of death on Crocs over the weekend. Joyzelle Davis and David Milstead led their feature with a seventh-grader who has outgrown her two pair of Crocs and doesn’t plan to replace them. “Crocs aren’t big in my class anymore,” said Camille Kintzele. The International Trade Commission just affirmed a court ruling that...
Consumer-product giant Procter & Gamble keeps emptying its shelves of well-known but unwanted brands. The latest to go is the Noxzema skin care line which was sold this week to Alberto-Culver, a suburban Chicago-based hair and skin care company. Alberto is acquiring Noxzema’s rights and trademarks in the United States, Canada and part of Latin America. More spin-offs are expected as...
The News: Back to school shopping in August didn’t boost the retail economy the way store chains hoped, and analysts now predict that Christmas shoppers will behave the same way as back-to-school shoppers — searching for bargains and waiting for the last minute to buy. The Winners: Any brand that communicates “value” captured market share this month, as moms and kids...
With 49 million North American users and a $240 million investment from Microsoft, Facebook is the hot social medium. But interactive agency Rosetta found in May that only 30 percent of their top 100 online retailers had launched a free Facebook fan page, and even fewer had established a larger presence there, says the National Retail Federation’s STORES magazine. “If you accept...
In the crowded, complicated, low-margin world of supermarket retail, $23 billion Publix Supermarkets Inc. stands out. Warren Thayer takes a look at “Why Publix Is So Darn Good” in the September issue of Refrigerated and Frozen Foods Retailer, and in the process offers a list of best practices that other retailers would do well to study. Sweat the small stuff. In terms of customer...
- Sears Face(book)s Black Friday
- Target Pumping Up Its Image with the Right Food
- Costco Challenges Coke and the Stakes Could Be High
- When Walmart Comes to Town, Other Retailers Self Destruct
- Blackhawk Part Two: Gift Cards Replace Banks as Consumers Get Creative
- Target Is Missing a Big Opportunity to Open More Urban Stores
- Blackhawk Helping Supermarkets Grab a Chunk of Everyone's Gift Card Business
- The New Normal Won't Emerge as a Walmart World
- Would You Bet on Black Friday?: Q&A With Bookmaker.com
- Macy's Holiday Prospects May Be Good But Long-Term Chances Murkier
- Supermarkets Adding Bars So Gourmet Consumers Will Entertain Thoughts of Shopping
- CVS Retail Operations Power Forward
- Timing Is Right for Rue21's IPO, if it Doesn't Overexpand
- Whole Foods Slims Down Stores So They'll Age Better
- Save-A-Lot Part 3: Private Label Strength Boosts Growth Prospects
- TheFind.com Give Bargain Hunters More Options Online
- Costco Challenges Coke and the Stakes Could Be High
- Target Talks Cheap but Can't Resist Chic
- Wal-Mart, Target and Costco Shine as Private Labels Challenge National Brands
- Walmart Garanimals Expansion Signals Gentler Approach to Holidays
- Booksellers Take On Walmart, Target, Amazon Over Discounts -- But It's Just Business as Usual
- Pizza and Cupcakes Keep 'em Coming to 7-Eleven as Cigarette Business Slides
- Gap Stands Behind Flailing Banana Republic
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- P&G Retail Push Makes Sense, Risks Aside
- Walmart Readies Smaller Stores for Smarter Growth
- Duckwall-ALCO Rights Itself Amidst Recession
- Lauren Conrad YouTube Tops Kohl's Online Fashion Effort
- Giant Supermarkets Seek Advantage of Small Stores
- Neil Cole Steps Out From Brother Kenneth's Shadow With Iconix -- Or Does He?
- Costco Sees Key Product Categories Turn Positive in September
- Target Fashions a Comeback from Recession with Carlos Falchi, Jean Paul Gaultier
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