All North America articles – Page 24
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News
OfficeMax comes under fire over merger deal with Office Depot
OfficeMax has come under fire from an investor over its merger deal with Office Depot. Shareholder Eric Hollander has sued the retailer’s directors - including the chief executive and chairman - while seeking to block the deal. He called the proposed $1.2bn (£771.4m) all-stock deal “grossly inadequate”.Under the terms of ...
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JC Penney uses social media to win back shoppers
JC Penney is using social media to try to win back shoppers. The troubled department store group acknowledged that customer numbers fell because of former chief executive Ron Johnson’s elimination of coupons and Sales in favour of regular low prices.JC Penney posted a video on Facebook with the message: “What ...
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Sales at Safeway slip during first quarter
Sales at Safeway slipped to $9.99bn (£6.62bn) during the first quarter ended March 23, from $10bn (£6.31bn) the previous year.Net income increased 63.1% to $118.9m (£78.8m). Identical store sales were up 1.5% during the period, including a 0.4% positive impact because of a calendar shift, meaning New Year holiday sales ...
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Supervalu reports year-on-year net sales decline
Supervalu has reported net sales of $3.89bn (£2.58bn) and a net loss of $1.41bn (£934.4m) for its fourth quarter ended February 23.The 2.3% year-on-year decline in net sales primarily reflects a decrease in identical store sales of 4.1% for retail food and 2.6% for the Save-A-Lot discount chain.In March, Supervalu ...
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AnalysisAnalysis: Where Ron Johnson went wrong at JC Penney
Ron Johnson was US retail’s golden boy - until he was ousted from JC Penney last month. Rebecca Thomson looks at what went wrong.
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Amazon set to dominate despite growth slowing
Amazon’s results last week gave some hope for multichannel competitors, particularly internationally, as growth slowed to 22% in its first quarter.
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OpinionComment: Customer focus is the missing ingredient
Once upon a time, a trip to the US gave a foretaste of the future of retailing, in terms of store design and new formats.
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Walmart begins marketing selected new brand launches
Walmart has begun marketing selected new brand launches using more experiential promotional tactics.There will be increased promotional events in Walmart parking lots and outside stores in ‘mobile brand boxes’.Initiatives could range from interactive simulators and games to pop-up demonstration areas.
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Gap to franchise Old Navy internationally
Gap will begin franchising Old Navy internationally from next year.“Over the next five years, key to our continued success will be pushing the envelope further to make shopping seamless to customers through our digital strategy, while seizing the opportunity for Old Navy in untapped international markets,” said chief executive Glenn ...
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JCPenney unveils plans to enhance financial position
Troubled department store group JCPenney has unveiled plans to enhance its financial position, having burned through $10m (£6.56m) in the fiscal year ended February 2, prompting liquidity concerns. As part of the process, the retailer has drawn $850m (£556.7m) from its $1.85bn (£1.21bn) committed revolving credit facility. Proceeds will fund ...
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Amazon to launch Appstore for Android in almost 200 countries
Amazon has revealed plans to introduce its Appstore for Android to almost 200 countries in the coming months, as it seeks to boost digital content revenue and take on rivals such as Apple and Google.Developers are being invited to submit apps for distribution in countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, South ...
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German hard discounter Aldi Süd opens nine stores in Texas
German hard discounter Aldi Süd opened nine stores in Houston, Texas last week.The retailer wants to open 30 new shops over the next two years, investing more than $125m (£81.5m) in the Houston Metro area.The launch extends Aldi’s Texan presence, which is focused on the Dallas/Fort Worth district, which it ...
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Rakuten signs up to MasterCard's new digital wallet service
Japanese ecommerce business Rakuten has signed up to MasterCard’s new digital wallet service,MasterPass, for its US site.Customers will be able to use the service to buy online or via their mobile using stored payment credentials. Those using the service will receive additional promotions to encourage repeat visits.Roger Andelin, president and ...
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JC Penney's chief executive Ron Johnson ousted
JC Penney’s chief executive, former Apple Retail boss Ron Johnson, has been ousted and replaced by his predecessor at the US department store group, Mike Ullman.In the year to January 28, JC Penney turnover plummeted 25% to $12.98bn (£8.5bn) and the retailer amassed nearly $1bn in losses.Johnson had been attempting ...
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Whole Foods Market to build commercial-scale greenhouse
Whole Foods Market is to build a commercial-scale greenhouse on top of one of its stores.The retailer will build a 20,000 sq ft rooftop greenhouse above its new store in the Gowanus neighbourhood in Brooklyn, New York. The project will be in partnership with urban greenhouse specialist Gotham Greens.Produce grown ...
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Uniqlo has work to do to meet ambitious targets
Fast Retailing’s president and chairman Tadashi Yanai has topped US magazine Forbes’ 2013 list of the 50 wealthiest people in Japan.
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OfficeMax launches small-format store
OfficeMax has launched a small-format store called OfficeMax Business Solutions Center.The initiative follows the retailer’s strategy of consolidating its big-box office supplies shops into smaller, more interactive stores.The first Business Solutions Center opened in Milwaukee. The store will offer tailored services and products, catering to the needs of small businesses. ...
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Walmart steps up to the multichannel plate
The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, has revealed it will be piloting in-store collection lockers in its home market.
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Department store JC Penney revives abandoned pricing strategy
Department store group JC Penney has revived the pricing strategy it had abandoned, which involves increasing prices of private label lines then discounting them as a means of improving sales and margins.The retailer began changing merchandise prices in March and will complete the process this month, according to a JC ...
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Drugstore operator CVS launches iPad app
Drugstore operator CVS has launched an iPad app that enables customers to explore a virtual 3D CVS/Pharmacy store and shop from their tablet. The app is the first of its kind and incorporates an interactive interface using gesture-based movements.Brian Tilzer, senior vice-president and chief digital officer of CVS/Pharmacy, said: “Our ...