Chain Drug Review articles from December 2004

Chain Drug Review archives from December 2004

Wal-Mart's Coughlin will retire in '05.(Tom Coughlin)
December 20, 2004... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. vice chairman Tom Coughlin plans to retire next month after more than 25 years with the giant retailer. Coughlin, 55, will step down from his executive position on January 24. He will continue to...

Albertsons gets on RFID bandwagon; sets test.
December 20, 2004... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons Inc. is preparing a project to test radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in its supply chain early next year. The pilot program will include seven suppliers and a few stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth...

NACDS after five years under Fuller.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Craig Fuller)
December 20, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- His first five years as president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores have been a veritable roller coaster ride, according to Craig Fuller. Sweeping changes in the industry and...

First campaign launched by the Sarasota Group.
December 20, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Prescription drugs and the pharmacists who dispense them play vital roles in keeping people healthy, according to an educational campaign launched last month. The effort is the work of the Sarasota Group, a coalition of...

Value of generics cited by retailers.
December 20, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Congressional reform of the Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement system should not come at the expense of generic drug utilization, chain pharmacy retailers told a House panel this month. "The single most effective action that can...

Results may fall short at Rite Aid.
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Blaming a weak flu season and other factors, including tough comparisons, Rite Aid Corp. has announced that its November sales declined and has warned that if the negative top-line trend continues earnings and sales for the...

It's full steam ahead on Medicare Rx benefit.
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- The stage is being set sooner rather than later for the implementation of the Medicare drug benefit, National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and chief executive officer Craig Puller said this earlier month. While...

Heller gets recognition from NACDS.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Jerry Heller)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- Former May's Drug Stores president and chief executive officer Jerry Heller was given the National Association of Chain Drug Stores' Century Award at the organization's annual board meeting here earlier this month. Heller is...

Drugstore.com names Gersch to new VP post.(Kathy Gersch)(vice president)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Drugstore.com has appointed Kathy Gersch to the newly created position of vice president, chief marketing officer and general manager. She will be responsible for leading the company's nonprescription business, including...

Steirly to join Walgreens.(Kathy Steirly)
December 20, 2004... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. has appointed Kathy Steirly divisional merchandise manager for beauty care, replacing Cheryl Schultz, who has taken the post of divisional merchandise manager for fashion. Steirly most recently served as vice...

Reorganization at top should improve CACDS.(Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores)
December 20, 2004... OTTAWA -- The Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS) has a new organizational structure that features a new council of representatives and an elected board of directors. The new structure was developed in order to enhance the...

New equity financing at DrugMax.(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... FARMINGTON, Conn. -- DrugMax Inc. has announced it has sold $17 million of convertible preferred stock to certain qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors. The preferred stock is convertible into 4,594,591 shares of common...

Pathmark is exploring strategic alternatives.(Pathmark Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CARTERET, N.J. -- Pathmark Stores Inc. is considering selling itself and has hired an investment bank to investigate the possibility. The move comes as the regional supermarket chain posted a net loss of $3.6 million for the third quarter....

Elephant boutiques will open in 12 Saks stores.(Elephant Pharmacy)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... BERKELEY, Calif. -- Elephant Pharmacy is opening Elephant Wellness Boutiques and Kiosks in 12 department stores operated by Saks Department Store Group (SDSG). The boutiques and kiosks carry a selection of natural cosmetics and body care...

NACDS in New York.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
December 20, 2004... The National Association of Chain Drug Stores had its 6th Annual NACDS Charitable Foundation dinner and annual board meeting in New York late last month. The dinner drew a record 540 retail and supplier executives. More than $1.8 million was...

Bath/body items make Huggies brand more interesting.(Supplier News)
December 20, 2004... DALLAS -- Kimberly-Clark Corp. is extending the Huggies brand into the baby bath and body market. Leading the array of toiletries is Huggies Liquid Powder, billed as a breakthrough with a proprietary formula. The product goes on a baby's...

Mary Poppins Celebrates 40th.(Supplier News )(Walt Disney Home Entertainment releases new DVD)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... BURBANK, Calif. -- Walt Disney Home Entertainment has released a 40th anniversary restored edition of its Academy Award-winning movie Mary Poppins. The DVD includes bonus material, including a new animated short hosted by Julie Andrews....

Olay's Quench line ready to hit stores.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... HUNT VALLEY, Md. -- Procter & Gamble Co. is poised to launch Olay Quench body lotion. Eighty percent of women are afflicted with dehydrated skin and more than 70% are dissatisfied with their current body lotions, according to an Olay...

Wet 'n' Wild line gets new look, new products.(Supplier News)(Markwins Beauty Products Inc. expands product line)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. -- Markwins Beauty Products Inc. is poised to expand its popular Wet 'n' Wild brand. "We are getting increased planogram space with most of the major chains," says general manager James Koeppl. "We will be...

Del deal is still on track for January '05.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Church & Dwight Co. has withdrawn from a partnership it had formed with Kelso & Co. to acquire Del Laboratories Inc. Church & Dwight was to have invested about $30 million in the pact, which would have given it the...

Wrigley makes perfect acquisition.(Supplier News)(Wm. Wrigley Junior Co.)
December 20, 2004... CHICAGO -- The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.'s agreement last month to spend nearly $1.5 billion to buy Kraft Foods' Lifesavers and Altoids franchises is being billed by company executives as a "perfect match." "There are only a handful of...

Mucinex gets big ad push.(Supplier News)(Adams Respiratory Therapeutics)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CHESTER, N.J. -- Adams Respiratory Therapeutics is launching a $22 million national advertising campaign for its Mucinex brand. The company hopes to raise the profile of Mucinex, an expectorant, by introducing an animated character--a...

Put simply, collecting. P-O-S data isn't enough.(Supplier News)(point-of-sale)
December 20, 2004... More and more consumer product goods companies are realizing the importance of capturing point-of-sale data and using it to better understand and predict consumer demand. P-O-S data has the potential to benefit both manufacturers and retailers...

Mauna Loa sold to Hershey.(Supplier News)(Hershey Foods Corp.)(Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... HERSHEY, Pa. -- Hershey Foods Corp. has entered into an agreement to acquire Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp. from the Shansby Group, a private equity investment firm. "Mauna Loa's portfolio of premium macadamia nuts, nut-based confections...

All-Sport introduces line of NASCAR driver brushes.(Supplier News)(All-Sport Brush LLC)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... TULSA, Okla. -- All-Sport Brush LLC's SportzDent division has introduced a line of NASCAR Driver toothbrushes. The products are designed to appeal to the 75 million NASCAR fans that represent one-third of the total adult population in the...

SDM profits increase 21.2% as retail sales grow 8.9%.(Business)(Shoppers Drug Mart)
December 20, 2004... NORTH YORK, Ontario -- A continued focus on cost reduction combined with healthy sales growth and lower interest expenses to boost net earnings more than 20% for both the third quarter and year to date at Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM). The...

Longs results reflect enhanced productivity.(Business)(Longs Drug Stores Corp.)
December 20, 2004... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Aided by stronger gross margins, lower interest costs and a reduced tax rate, Longs Drug Stores overcame tepid sales to generate a 19.1% earnings increase during the 13 weeks ended October 28. While sales growth is...

Lower margins take toll on Cardinal earnings.(Business)(Cardinal Health Inc.)
December 20, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Hit by lower margins in its pharmaceutical distribution business and special items in other segments, Cardinal Health Inc., the corporate parent of Medicine Shoppe International, saw earnings from continuing operations take a...

Investors are bullish on chain drug stocks.(Business)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- Chain drug store stocks rose significantly in November as Wall Street rallied in response to President Bush's reelection. Analysts remain optimistic that members of the group will continue to be top performers for long-term...

Elephant's Skorman pushes the envelope.(My Turn)
December 20, 2004... Amid all the happenings crowding in on each other in this hectic chain drug year, a case could be made that the No. 1 story has been the success of an independent drug store, Elephant Pharmacy of Berkeley, Calif., and of its entrepreneurial...

Appearance of stasis in industry, is an illusion.(My Turn)
December 20, 2004... It's common practice for business publications to run articles in December that take a look at the most significant stories of the past 12 months and others assessing the issues likely to be of most importance during the coming year. As...

The business of beauty--where it is, where it's going.(Executive Beauty Forum)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- In today's highly competitive beauty business it is more important than ever that retailers understand the nuances of the category and utilize the expertise of industry experts. In order to facilitate that process Chain Drug Review...

Skin care grows scope, importance has become a destination category.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- As female baby boomers and other beauty shoppers actively seek ways to delay the appearance of aging, skin care has become a destination category at a number of drug chains. The combination of technological advances, stronger...

A changing population creates myriad opportunities.(Executive Beauty Forum)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- As the ethnic population of the United States continues to soar, beauty suppliers and retailers are stepping up their efforts to serve the specific needs of those consumers. The Census Bureau has noted that African-Americans,...

Jeff Rogers, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Physicians Formula Inc.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Physicians Formula Inc. delivers innovative, hypoallergenic products for sensitive skin. Its expertise in bringing color correction to the masses (a concept previously used only by makeup artists) allows the company to introduce unique and...

Joe Fracassi, president and chief executive officer, Pacific World Corp.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Pacific World Corp. 's Nailene artificial nail brand promises to deliver today's hottest nail trends. Nailene products are designed for simple application, perfect fit and lasting wear for beautiful nails. Pacific World president and chief...

Marc Pritchard, president, global cosmetics and retail hair colorants, Procter & Gamble Co.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) is a powerhouse in a host of consumer products categories and a global leader in the field of beauty care. Its CoverGirl brand continues to be popular with consumers in virtually all color cosmetics segments....

Leah Bailey, chief operating officer, Paris Presents Inc.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Paris Presents Inc. markets Ms. Manicure and Ms. Pedicure nail accessories, Body Benefits bath accessories and Ms. Makeup, Studio Basics and Mon Image cosmetics accessories to the mass market. Chief operating officer Leah Bailey discusses...

John Galantic, president, Coty Beauty U.S.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Coty Inc., which celebrated its centennial this year, is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of personal fragrances, and a leader in the categories of color cosmetics and skin treatments in both the mass and prestige markets....

Paul Murphy, executive vice president, customer sales, marketing and merchandising for North America, Revlon Inc.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Revlon Inc. is a global leader in cosmetics, fragrances, skin care and personal care. Founded in 1932 by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, the company's vision is to provide glamour, excitement and innovation through quality products at...

Bill McMenemy, executive vice president, marketing, Del Laboratories Inc.(Executive Beauty Forum)(Interview)
December 20, 2004... Del Laboratories Inc. has established a reputation as an innovator in the beauty care industry. It is known for quality products, eye-catching packaging and graphics, and some of the most effective advertising and promotional support in the...

Bill George, president, North American sales, Markwins International Corp.(Executive Beauty Forum)
December 20, 2004... Markwins International Corp. develops, manufactures and markets cosmetics, personal care products and accessories. The company, which has production facilities in the United States and China, distributes its products to retailers worldwide. ...

Rite Aid once again a contender.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's turnaround is complete. No longer should the company be viewed as one on the road to recovery. The new Rite Aid, executives note, is turning a profit and positioned to become even more profitable. In short Rite...

At front end shoppers find reasons 'to select our stores'.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- While some front-end categories in Rite Aid's stores have been performing better than others, president and chief executive officer Mary Summons says every section of the store is important to the company's success. "We...

Investors take note as results keep improving.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid is no longer the financially plagued company its current management team took over in the fall of 1999. Yes, the drug chain still has more than $3 billion in debt, but executives are quick to point out the current...

New stores sure sign of new vitality.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- One of the most visible signs of Rite Aid's newfound status is its decision a year ago to begin opening new stores. The company plans to have 30 new or relocated stores in operation and 183 units remodeled by the close of...

'Customer world' prototype a departure.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- Jay Ross has seen the future of Rite Aid and it is Sellersburg. The retailer's prototype, which was unveiled here late last month, offers a glimpse of what is to come with Rite Aid's new and remodeled outlets. And it...

Drive-through brings people 'into the store'.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- The visibility of Rite Aid's new prototype pharmacy extends even to the two-lane drivethrough window. It is perhaps four times as wide as the typical 6- to 8-foot bank-style drug store window, and about 7 feet tall. ...

Signage offers guidance from Rite Aid experts.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- One of the singular features of the Rite Aid prototype is what vice president of marketing Jay Ross calls "the voice of Rite Aid's experts." The "voice" is really enlightenment from pharmacists and other specialized...

The new design reflects balance of imperatives.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- When Rite Aid president and chief executive officer Maw Sammons convened a team of operations, merchandising and finance executives to come up with the drug chain's new prototype she had one overriding directive: Focus on the...

New prototype a vision realized.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Rite Aid's vision of a shopper-focused store centered around health and wellness has come to fruition in the chain's new prototype in Sellersburg, Ind. Traffic circulates around a bold central beauty display toward the pharmacy, which features...

Rite Aid shows new format is adaptable.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... AKRON, Ohio -- On the road to the opening of its new 14,500-square-foot prototype store in Sellersburg, Ind., Rite Aid took a detour to this industrial city in northeast Ohio, to open a stunningly dramatic and operationally efficient...

New look tells what's inside.(exterior )(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- The exterior of the Rite Aid prototype here is totally distinct from that of other outlets in the 3,400-store chain. The word "Pharmacy" stretches across a curved face over the door. Underneath it, in smaller letters,...

Synergies fuel Rx and H&BA businesses.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- One of Rite Aid's top priorities is tying pharmacies to H&BAs. The health and wellness focus established by the chain's prescription counters can be reinforced by the front end, inextricably linking the two parts of the store,...

Variation on a theme.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Rite Aid's recently opened store in Akron, Ohio offers shoppers a scaled-down version of its latest prototype. Measuring around 11,000 square feet, the store is slightly smaller than the 14,500 square foot prototype. Still, it offers most of...

Rite Aid fosters new definition of Rx care.(new program for providing superior customer service)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- For too long, Rite Aid senior vice president of pharmacy services Mark de Bruin says, retail pharmacies have been doing the same thing--dispensing prescriptions written by physicians and offering advice on how to take those...

'Accessibility, knowledge, trust' at pharmacy counter.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Like all chain drug executives, Rite Aid senior vice president of pharmacy services Mark de Bruin sees the aging of America as a golden opportunity for pharmacies. Rite Aid, he notes, is rapidly preparing itself for the...

'Generics are a win-win-win'.(generic drugs boosts Rite Aid's profit)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- In the age of managed care and rising health care costs generic drugs play a key role in Rite Aid's pharmacy operation. "Generics are a win-win-win," says senior vice president of pharmacy services Mark de Bruin. "They...

Technology helps make Rx more 'personal'.(Rite Aid's new NextGen system )
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- As an integral part of its effort to increase its pharmacy business Rite Aid has unleashed what it feels is the ultimate pharmacy computer system. The system--called NextGen--is unlike anything ever used in community...

Winning over new patients a top priority.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL. Pa. -- As Rite Aid works to expand its pharmacy business, attracting customers from competitors, coupled with acquiring independent pharmacies, is playing a key role in that effort. The most recent push along these lines has been...

Suppliers' input sought, valued.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Based on the success of its front-end supplier advisory board Rite Aid has established a pharmacy supplier advisory board. An agenda was set for the group of drug manufacturers at a preliminary meeting of its executive...

Rite Aid seeks edge with superior service.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- The two biggest initiatives in Rite Aid's pharmacy operation--its gradual move to having more clinical pharmacies and the rollout of its NextGen computer system--will work in tandem to bring superior service to customers,...

People make the difference.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- As much as Jim Mastrian is admired around the chain drug industry for his contributions to Rite Aid's turnaround, he is quick to credit the retailer's personnel. "The key to our company's success is our people," he says....

The key to success: 'Continuing to reinvent ourselves every day'.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's assortment strategy keeps evolving based on customers' expectations, says senior executive vice president for marketing, logistics and pharmacy services Jim Mastrian. While pharmacy and H&BAs are the core of...

Health care core of Rite Aid mission.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... As Rite Aid continues to move forward, a key factor in its future successes will be its role as a health care provider. Executives have not lost sight of the fact that health care is at the heart of any successful drug store. Pharmacists at...

Rite Aid always responsive to customers.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Under Jim Mastrian Rite Aid has taken supplier relations to another level. The supplier advisory board established by Mastrian, Rite Aid's senior executive vice president for marketing, logistics and pharmacy services,...

Synergies drive diabetes solution centers.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's health care focus may be best exemplified by its diabetes strategy. The chain's diabetes solution centers, which offer front-end products for the disease, have significantly boosted its diabetes care sales. ...

Store brands burnish Rite Aid image.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Merchandising and marketing private brand products goes a long way toward supporting Rite Aid's brand image. To that end the chain drug retailer adds 200 to 300 store brand SKUs a year. In addition, the retailer...

'Sometimes you don't do the obvious'.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- One of Rite Aid's most intensive merchandising initiatives is targeting Hispanics and African-Americans. "Those are major segments where we believe we have some big opportunities given our store locations," says senior...

Creating 'a chain of friendly neighborhood drug stores'.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's "with us it's personal" theme is not just an advertising slogan, says John Learish. "It's a mind-set," the company's senior vice president of marketing explains. "It's the way we do business. It's the way we...

Rite Aid reaches out with expos.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's health and beauty expos have provided tremendous visibility for the drug chain in key markets, according to senior vice president of marketing John Learish. "It's one way for us to really ingratiate ourselves...

Customers are the focal point of new round of television ads.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- The Rite Aid "with us it's personal" television commercials that broke this year are very different from the ones the drug chain aired three years ago. The 2001 spots dramatized real-life events in which the company's...

Themed promotions pack a big wallop.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- A primary source of Rite Aid's front-end success, says senior vice president of marketing John Learish, is its vertically integrated event strategy. "The key is to get a theme going and drive it home throughout everything...

Developing lifelong customers.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Teenage girls tend to form buying habits as consumers in the mass market, especially with beauty products in drug stores, according to Rite Aid senior vice president of marketing John Learish. "We know that those girls...

Rite Aid in sync with changing face of America.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Ethnic marketing is a priority at Rite Aid, which serves large numbers of African-American and Hispanic customers. The chain's urban East Coast stores have a large black clientele, while many of its California units draw...

'Better decisions from the start'.(Ride Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- A retailer without advanced merchandising technology these days is like a sprinter who doesn't hear the starting gun, remarks Rite Aid senior vice president of category management Jerry Cardinale. "If a chain does not...

Rite Aid is reaping the benefits of its first-to-market strategy.(Ride Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's first-to-market strategy takes one of three forms, depending on the prominence of the product launch. For major introductions, classified as "tier 1," the drug chain "pulls out all the stops," says senior vice...

Keeping pace with new wave in photography.(Ride Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Jerry Cardinale, senior vice president of category management at Rite Aid, notes that film-based photography is on the decline everywhere. The conversion to digital photography is occurring "much faster" than either photo...

New system facilitates store-by-store pricing.(Ride Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid's pricing is in for an enhancement, thanks to new automation. The technology will allow the drug chain to price categories at the store level, as opposed to the cluster, or zone, level. That should make the...

Converting shoppers grows market baskets.(Ride Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Understanding pharmacy customers can help Rite Aid induce patients to make front-end purchases as well, notes senior vice president of category management Jerry Cardinale. Shopper surveys identify customers who buy only...

Rite Aid is embracing Sunrise '05.(Ride Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid is well on the way to converting its systems to handle any of the various worldwide universal product codes (UPCs) that will be in use within the next year. As a participant in the Sunrise 2005 initiative being...

Rite Aid's way in GM.(Rite Aid: the challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... As it has climbed back into the ranks of North America's elite drug chains, Rite Aid has developed into one of the industry's strongest players in a number of general merchandise categories. Its seasonal department is second to none, generating...

Rite Aid aims to separate itself from pack.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- There is nothing revolutionary in retailing, says Rite Aid senior vice president of category management Bryan Shirtliff. "It's understanding the customer, what the customer anticipates and delivering against it," he...

Relationships mean better mix and differentiated assortment.(Rite Aid: The challenge of going from good to great)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- According to Bryan Shirtliff, Rite Aid's senior vice president of category management, the chain relies on individual relationships with direct manufacturers for its seasonal merchandise programs. "That ultimately gives us a...