All North America articles – Page 36
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News
Sears reports decrease in total revenue
Retailer Sears has reported a 1.2% fall in total revenue to $9.6bn (£6.1bn) for the third quarter ended October 29. The decline was primarily the result of a 0.8% drop in domestic like-for-like sales and a 7.8% fall at Sears Canada. It was also the effect of having fewer Kmart ...
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News
US grocer Stop & Shop to unveil new concept store
Ahold-owned US grocer Stop & Shop will unveil a new concept store featuring a greater selection of products and innovative features in Massachusetts. The store has been designed to better serve the needs of the local community. New services include an in-store nutritionist, supervised children’s play area, roadside pick-up and ...
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Gallery
Francesca’s Collections, Paramus, New Jersey
Look carefully and then look again. It’s an independent fashion store, right?
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News
Walmart launches apps for iPhone and iPad
Walmart has launched two new apps for the iPhone and iPad in its home market. The grocery and general merchandise retailer says they will enable “millions of customers to enjoy an enhanced, seamless shopping experience across Walmart’s 3,800 US stores and Walmart.com through mobile devices”.The apps are the first to ...
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News
Kroger tests new checkout system
Grocery retailer Kroger is testing a new type of checkout system called Scan-Bag-Go at a store in Kentucky. It is a handheld wand that shoppers wave at product barcodes as they shop, tallying the total amount at the same time. A smartphone version is also being tested, enabling customers to ...
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News
Sears launches mobile shopping walls
Department store group Sears has launched mobile shopping walls across the country at airports, malls, movie theatres and bus shelters.The walls allow customers to buy Sears and Kmart toys through their mobile devices using QR codes. They feature the company’s top toys and corresponding QR codes deliver shopper product information, ...
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News
Amazon offers to handle sales tax for sellers
Amazon is offering to handle sales tax for its sellers despite years of fighting state regulators. The internet retailer aims to profit by claiming a fee equivalent to 2.9% of the taxes collected. The optional service is to roll out on February 1, 2012 and will be offered to Amazon ...
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News
Abercrombie & Fitch reports net sales increase
Casualwear retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has reported net sales of $1.1bn (£685.4m) for the financial quarter ended October 29. That represents a 21% increase from net sales of $885.8m (£551.9m) for the same quarter in 2010.However, the retailer said that sales fell at European flagship stores last quarter as a ...
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News
Potential to operate stores in existing countries, says TJX
Off-price retailer TJX has said that it believes there is potential to operate 4,200 to 4,500 stores in its existing countries versus the 2,913 estimated to be in operation by the end of this financial year.The company is looking to have between 300 and 325 stores in the UK and ...
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News
Sears announces launch of new digital local ad programme
Sears has announced the launch of its new digital local advert programme at Sightssearslocalad.com and Kmartlocalad.com.The sites offer shoppers current pricing and promotions as well as real-time stock checks for their local Sears or Kmart store. They also allow customers to shop by category and create item lists that can ...
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News
99 Cents Only Stores reports sales increase
Discount retailer 99 Cents Only Stores has reported that sales for the second quarter ended October 1 rose 8.8% to $363m (£226m) compared with $334m (£208m) for the prior year period.Total retail sales were $352m (£220m) against $323m (£202m), while like-for-like sales increased 6.7%. The number of like-for-like sales transactions ...
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News
Walmart to shut apparel office in New York
Walmart is to shut its apparel office in New York to reduce costs and concentrate on more basic clothing.The office has about 275 workers in areas including product development and buying. These functions will be transferred to Walmart’s home town of Bentonville, Arkansas by February next year.Walmart US chief executive ...
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News
Walmart to roll back health care coverage
Walmart is significantly rolling back health care coverage for part-time workers while raising premiums for many full-time employees. All future staff who work less than an average of 24 hours per week will no longer qualify for any of the company’s health insurance plans.Additionally, new workers who average 24 to ...
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News
Neiman Marcus looks to cater for the Chinese consumer market
Department store retailer Neiman Marcus has said it is looking to expand into the Chinese consumer market, initially looking to cater to Chinese residents who travel to the US.Neiman Marcus Stores executive vice-president Neva Hall said that the company is tapping the expertise gained by its staff in gateway cities ...
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News
Gap announces plans to shut a fifth of its stores
Fashion retailer Gap has announced that it plans to shut more than a fifth of its Gap stores in North America over the next two years. The retailer recognised that it had expanded to such an extent that the US market became oversaturated with its stores. As a result, Gap ...
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Opinion
International growth remains a priority for retailers
Very few retailers today can boast a slot on the global retail rankings without in fact having an international presence.
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News
Discount retailer Target launches limited-edition collection
Discount retailer Target is partnering with designer Josie Natori to launch its first limited-edition collection of lingerie and loungewear. The Josie Natori for Target range will appear in two seasonal instalments, the first of which will be available from the end of October in time for the Christmas season. The ...
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Analysis
Toys R Us focuses on key trends as Christmas looms
Toys R Us has revealed the four top trends that it expects to influence toy sales in the months leading up to Christmas.
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News
Walmart announces resignation of key executives
Walmart has announced the resignation of key executives from its online business. Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice-chairman of global sourcing operations, is to retire in July and Wan Ling Martello, vice-president of ecommerce, is to leave the company to take up a new position at Nestlé. The departures come amid a drive ...
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News
Rite Aid plans introduction of iPad tablets to stores
Drugstore operator Rite Aid plans to introduce iPad tablets to 300 stores in 2012 following positive customer feedback. Rite Aid brought the iPads to 40 stores this year and they are being used by the chain’s Wellness Ambassadors – trained sales associates who provide customers with information on over-the-counter medications. ...