DSN Retailing Today articles from January 2001

DSN Retailing Today archives from January 2001

John Deere.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 22, 2001... Lawn tractors with the maneuverability of commercial zero-turning-radius mowers are coming to the consumer market. This spring, two models from John Deere will feature the company's exclusive spin-steer technology. Rival MTD Products will...

Environmental Protection Agency.(to phase out diazinon)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... The Environmental Protection Agency's announcement last month to phase out diazinon will eventually pull one of the industry's most widely used pesticides from retail shelves. The selling of diazinon products for indoor use will stop by...

Colorful mulches.(Scotts Co.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Garden mulches dyed vibrant colors that don't deteriorate into an ugly gray or decompose as quickly as standard bark mulch are the newest trend in outdoor landscaping. The Scotts Company, for example, has seen sales of black- and...

Premium soils set to outgrow mix-it-yourself solutions.(Scotts Co.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Any gardening enthusiast who has nurtured a plant only to see it die can identify with the power of a product that takes the guesswork out of growing healthy green goods. For this reason, the fastest-growing potting and gardening soils today...

Bass Pro Shops.(expands)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Bass Pro Shops continues to expand. Two of its outdoor-oriented, large-format stores scheduled to open this year. A store in St. Louis is slated to open during the summer, followed by the fall opening of a store in Baltimore. Those openings...

Sport Chalet.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... The 22-unit Sport Chalet chain is finally doing away with fax and mail purchase orders. The company has contracted with SPS Commerce to help automate its supply chain as part of a business-to-business e-commerce initiative. Other sporting...

Global Sports.(visible path to profitability)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Global Sports, the developer and operator of sporting goods Web sites, contends it is moving along on what it has called a "visible path to profitability." The company still hasn't made a profit, but thanks to stronger than expected fourth...

Brunswick.(sells to Pacific Cycles)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Brunswick's bike division, best know for its Mongoose and Roadmaster brands, was sold to Pacific Cycle for $60 million. Privately-held Pacific is primarily a supplier of bicycles to Target and Toys "R" Us. Last year, the company sold its...

Health club craze pumps up fitness accessory business.
January 22, 2001... With health club memberships at an all-time high and projected to increase further, the outlook for the fitness equipment and related accessories category is one of continued steady growth. Recent data indicates an estimated 31 million...

Space-saving dumbbells.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Homeowners and retailers face similar issues when it comes to fitness equipment. Products such as treadmills and multiple station gyms can take up a lot of display space, or quickly fill up a spare bedroom. Unless the homeowner has a...

Wal-Mart.(mowers)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Wal-Mart stores in the United States will begin selling several models of Snapper walk-behind mowers, lawn tractors and riding mowers this spring. The agreement with Wal-Mart marks a major sales strategy shift for Snapper, which previously...

Frank's Nursery & Crafts.(selling stores)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Frank's Nursery & Crafts is in the process of selling 42 of its 261 stores. The stores, 33 company-owned sites and nine leased facilities, were deemed underperforming sites in 11 markets. Proceeds from the sale will be used to reduce...

Standards still haunting CE.(Consumer electronics)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... The rash of new products coming out of the CE industry--as witnessed by the recently ended CES show in Las Vegas--comprised the usual display of cutting-edge, knock-your-socks-off, "how cool is that?" kind of stuff. From PDAs to digital...

Good news in an economic downturn offers hope for retail in 2001.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... The Year 2000--after getting off to a spectacular start-- ended, as T.S. Eliot famously put it, "not with a bang but a whimper." Growth soared during the first half of the year, but by the third quarter signs of a slowdown were evident...

On-line recruitment services prove useful for retailers.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... The unemployment rate in the United States stands at an all-time low. Even after the holiday season, a top problem in the retail industry continues to be recruitment. According to the American Management Association, retailers face staffing...

Crafty business strategy at root of success.(Michaels Stores Inc.)
January 22, 2001... A strong national presence and improving financial success have secured Michaels Stores an enviable spot as the craft industry's leading retailer. And the outlook only gets brighter with better store execution and promising new growth...

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts expands.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is planning to expand into Canada and New England. Over the next six years, 32 shops will be developed in Ontario, Quebec and four provinces of Atlantic Canada. The company will have a 34% interest in this joint venture...

Delhaize to open 44 stores.(Delhaize America)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Delhaize America recently announced plans to open 44 new stores this year, including 37 Food Lion, two Hannaford and five Kash 'N Karry units. Remodels or expansions will total 70. The company forecasts sales growth for the year of at least...

Webvan adds new Best Yet brand.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Grocery e-tailer Webvan Group has added a private-label value brand called BestYet in conjunction with grocery distributor Fleming. The new brand, initially tested in Atlanta, will roll out over the next several months. The products include...

Facility to treat meat, poultry.(Ion Beam Systems Div.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... One of the Midwest's largest food treatment facilities in Illinois operated by Ion Beam Applications has received government approval to use gamma irradiation to treat meat and poultry products. This gives commercial food processors in the...

Consumer demand for snacks propels bite-sized versions.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 22, 2001... Miniature mania has arrived. Whether the trend relates to consumer demand for more convenient snacks or is simply the result of marketing strategies to target more children, bite-sized cookies and crackers were all the rage this past year in...

Private label expands in the food industry.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Private label has come a long way in the grocery aisle. It wasn't that many years ago when store brands had a terrible image problem, brought on primarily by budget-conscious shoppers in search of the cheapest possible price rather than...

Costco's in-store foodservice operations add relish to the company's overall sales.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Food is taking on new dimensions at Costco, and even if a cursory glance at its recently released annual report might indicate otherwise, looks can be deceiving. Over the past three years, food has fallen as a percentage of sales at...

Gart Sports.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Gart Sports is a corporate sponsor of the 2001 International Sportsmen's Exposition Western Tour, which is scheduled for stops in Portland, Sacramento, San Mateo, Seattle, Denver and Salt Lake City. Three to four day shows are held in each...

EToys struggling to stay alive following sub par holiday sales.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Etoys' glory days have passed, and the former e-commerce heavyweight is against the ropes. It closed down its European operations last month and fired more than 70% of its workforce, leading speculative minds to...

Amazon.com's new Outlet store confirms 'deal' mentality on Web.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... SEATTLE -- The on-line equivalent to the bargain basement is alive and well in today's Internet retailing world. The concept--once considered a mismatch for the Internet's high-end consumer demographic--recently got a big boost of credibility...

Amazon, TRU Web site proves successful on-line model.(Amazon.com and Toys "R" Us)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... When Amazon.com and Toys "R" Us joined forces to build a co-branded toy site late last year, much of the industry held its breath, wondering whether two such prominent retailers--one a leader in merchandising and inventory, the other an ace...

INSIDER TRADES.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT AutoZone: Bruce Clark, vp, bought 2,000 shares on Dec. 7 at $25.86, now owns 20,000 shares. PetsMart: Richard Lochridge,...

RETAIL IPO SCOREBOARD.(Illustration)
January 22, 2001... RETAIL IPO SCOREBOARD Exchange/Company Gross Shares % Chg. proceeds sold since (in $mil.) (in mil.) offering Initial...

MAJOR INDICES.(Illustration)
January 22, 2001... MAJOR INDICES Close Close Net Percent 12/22/00 01/05/00 Change Change DSN Retailing Today 4410.69 4692.64 281.95 6.39% Dow Jones Ind. Avg. 10635.56...

DSN RETAILING TODAY STOCK ANALYSIS.(Illustration)
January 22, 2001... DSN RETAILING TODAY STOCK ANALYSIS CLOSING CLOSING NET PERCENT PRICE PRICE CHANGE CHANGE P/E 52-WEEK COMPANY 12/22/00 01/05/00...

Montgomery Ward and Bradlees are gone, and Christmas was a retail bust.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Now watch out for unemployment, which is at a 2 1/2-year high. While chatter of recession is at this point premature, there is no question that the level of unemployment--352,250 made claims during the last week of December--was a key factor...

Bradlees.(severance pay)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Bradlees is seeking court approval for $2.3 million in severance pay for 11 executives. This amount is only 40% of the $5.8 million the executives were promised as severance packages, according to papers filed by Bradlees' chairman and ceo...

Dot.com.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 22, 2001... Despite predictions of doom and gloom in the dot.com world, on-line shopping continues to grow exponentially. According to a Goldman Sachs/PC Data study, Internet holiday buying reached $10.7 billion, more than a 100% increase from $5.2...

Daniel Butler.(National Retail Federation vp)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... Daniel Butler has been named vp of retail operations at The National Retail Federation. Before joining the NRF, Butler was with Macy's, and prior to that with Hecht's.

A bittersweet time in mass retailing.(Montgomery Ward and Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... The recent news that Bradlees, Montgomery Ward, and Ann & Hope would cease operations probably didn't surprise too many industry execs, as there were early warnings that a soft Holiday season would likely have a negative impact on several...

Puerto Rico gets another Pep Boys.(Pep Boys-Manny, Moe and Jack)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... PHILADELPHIA -- The Pep Boys (Manny, Moe & Jack) opened its 27th store in the Puerto Rican town of South Mayaguez. The store features 12 service bays and 28,000 auto parts. Pep Boys currently operates 628 stores.

DVD and AVN steal show at annual VSDA convention.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... LAS VEGAS -- The first VSDA convention, held in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, produced mixed results for organizers who hoped synergy between the two shows would boost sagging attendance. While traffic on the...

CES wraps up with a wealth of new wireless technology.(The 2001 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES))(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 22, 2001... LAS VEGAS -- The 2001 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wrapped up last week, posting record attendance and a wealth of new technology and product that will hopefully help retailers weather the economic slowdown through the next...

Microsoft unveils X-Box game console.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 22, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates opened CES with a bang on Jan. 6 with a 90-min. presentation that culminated with the unveiling of the company's vaunted X-box game console. An overflowing crowd of more than 5,000...

Kmart makes technology moves.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... TROY, MICH. -- Kmart is progressing on several initiatives to enhance customer service. The retailer has installed new IBM point-of-sale registers in its 325 highest volume stores and has plans for more this year. By yearend, the remainder of...

Transora.com joins with GlobalNetXchange.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... CHICAGO AND SAN FRANCISCO -- Transora.com, a global e-marketplace consisting of 49 consumer goods companies, announced a new venture with GlobalNetXchange, a business-to-business marketplace for the retail industry. The venture will form...

Webvan, Telocity to offer Internet access.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... FOSTER CITY, CALIF. -- Webvan Group and Telocity have partnered to give Webvan.com customers Internet access. Webvan customers who sign up with Telocity will receive two free months of Telocity's high-speed Internet access and four $25.00...

Barnesandnoble.com announces sales.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... NEW YORK -- Barnesandnoble.com announced sales for the fourth quarter, ending Dec. 31, 2000, will exceed $103 million, an increase of 36% from 1999. Full year 2000 sales were $318 million, up 65% from $193 million for the previous year.

Yahoo Auctions to charge listing fees.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- Yahoo will begin charging a listing fee and implement a new monitoring program on Yahoo Auctions. Auction sellers will pay a fee to list an item on a sliding scale based on the value of the starting and reserve price,...

Priceline founder steps down from board.(vice chairman Jay Walker now CEO)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... NORWALK, CONN. -- Priceline.com founder and vice chairman Jay Walker has stepped down from the board to assume the role of ceo at Walker Digital. Also, Priceline.com and W R. Berkley Corporation decided not to create a new company to sell...

1-800-flowers.com names new cto.(Enzo Micali chief technology officer)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... WESTBURY, N.Y. -- 1-800-flowers.com has named Enzo Micali chief technology officer. He will be responsible for the company's technology planning and programs. Prior to joining the company, he served as chief technology officer for InsLogic, a...

eBay signs with Korea's Internet Auction Co.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- eBay signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Internet Auction Co., Korea's largest auction-style Web site. This establishes eBay in Korea and will open eBay's global marketplace to Internet Auction's community...

Cost Plus scales back 2001 expansion.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... OAKLAND, CALIF. -- Cost Plus will open fewer stores this year than originally planned, thanks to slower consumer spending and a highly promotional retail environment that has pressured margins. Instead of the previously stated 30 store...

C-store operator ups ante in gas war.(BP Connects)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... INDIANAPOLIS -- As mass merchants encroach on traditional convenience store turf by adding gas pumps, convenience store operators have counterpunched by opening dynamic stores that shatter traditional perceptions of what constitutes a...

WWRE adds staff member.(The WorldWide Retail Exchange named Peter Jueptner as its chief commercial officer)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- The WorldWide Retail Exchange named Peter Jueptner as its chief commercial officer. Jueptner is a former Campbell Soup executive who was responsible for the company's beverages and Latin American business units. At WWRE, he...

Expansion continues for Royal Ahold.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS -- Already one of the largest food retailers in the United States with sales of $32 billion, Royal Ahold has surged to a position of market leadership in Spain. The company opened 110 stores in Spain last year, and...

Wal-Mart to add Japan to global lineup.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- It is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Wal-Mart's international division as a slate of executives who are relatively new to their positions face high expectations for growth and profit improvement. Already a $35...

Service Merchandise tightens belt; staff and expense reductions planned.(Service Merchandise Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Service Merchandise is once again in a precarious position. In the aftermath of weak December sales and an uncertain short-term retail outlook, the jewelry and hard lines retailer has decided to reduce expenses through the...

Office Depot ceo outlines plan to fix performance.(Bruce Nelson)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... DELRAY BEACH, FLA. -- Although Office Depot is not relying on its retail stores as the primary driver of long-term growth, the $11.3 billion office supplies company expects the division's lagging performance to improve as the result of...

P&G's Culinary Sol concept offers gourmet foods, classes.(Procter and Gamble Co.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... CINCINNATI -- Procter & Gamble, a company that owns such mainstream food brands as Crisco, Jif and Folgers, is quietly testing its ability to market gourmet cooking products direct to consumers. Culinary Sol, a one-store test that P&G was...

Olsen twins bring Wal-Mart new apparel line.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 22, 2001... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are quietly etching a name for themselves as a leading competitor in the race for pre-teen brand dominance at mass. After many years of successfully selling their coquettish charisma through the...

DSN honors Best Buy with Specialty Retailer award.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... LAS VEGAS -- Best Buy earned top honors at the CES show in Las Vegas earlier this month for its excellence as a specialty retailer and its commitment to the mass retailing industry. The editors of DSN Retailing Today presented Best Buy...

Good Guys bullish on future growth.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... BRISBANE, CALIF. -- While most retailers suffered through a lackluster holiday shopping season, The Good Guys enjoyed one of its strongest quarters in recent memory. The 79-store consumer electronics chain based in Brisbane, Calif., posted an...

Super Show to benefit from industry rebound.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... LAS VEGAS -- It's been a long time since the sporting goods industry looked as good as it does right now. Sales of athletic apparel, footwear and equipment increased last year and are projected to do so again this year. Gone are the weaker...

Mid-tiers and others contemplate Ward's few remaining assets.(Montgomery Ward and Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... CHICAGO -- Although competitors had already chipped away at much of Montgomery Ward's market share by the time its liquidation was announced early this month, a couple billion dollars worth of sales are still up for grabs. A variety of...

Circuit City scales back remodeling; seeks to improve without the price tag.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... RICHMOND, VA. -- Circuit City is scaling back its remodeling program. On Jan. 5, the retailer said it was slowing the pace of total store overhauls in the face of improved sales at existing stores, which underwent a temporary remodel to...

Kmart to build DC in New York State.(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... TROY, MICH. -- Kmart has signed a letter of intent to build its 19th distribution center in Montgomery County, N.Y. The 1.9-million-sq.-ft. center is to be built on a 350-acre site in an industrial park in the town of Florida. The $100...

Sears to shutter 89 stores.(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(Brief Article)
January 22, 2001... HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- Sears made a splash when it announced it was shuttering 89 stores, but it all may be a tempest in a teapot, especially as analysts generally applauded the move as consistent with the no-nonsense approach to boosting...

Best Buy acquisition rings national note.
January 1, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Best Buy stunned Wall Street last month with the announcement that it intends to purchase both Musicland Stores Corp. and Seattle-based Magnolia Hi-Fi, as well as expand into Canada, the company's first international...

E-tailers face reality check following soft holiday season.
January 1, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- As the last of the sales numbers rolled in, e-tailers wiped the sweat off their brows and exhaled after a holiday season that ranged from marginally respectable to slightly disappointing. Despite an impressive...

Niche players prove viable in shadow of mega-retailers.
January 1, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Mass retailing has a well-deserved reputation as an industry whose most predictable constant is change-whether borne from customers' fickle desires or merchants' efforts to satisfy them. By nature, it's also an...

Bradlees liquidation bodes well for Kohl's.
January 1, 2001... BRAINTREE, MASS. -- The imminent liquidation of venerable discounter Bradlees could make Kohl's the big potential beneficiary as the Wisconsin-based soft lines retailer could buy up several leases of the discounter's 105 stores continuing its...

Bush Administration brings good news for retailers.
January 1, 2001... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President-elect George W. Bush is headed for Washington with an agenda that should draw considerable sup port from most retail industry leaders and lobby groups. However, how much of this agenda he will be able to...

Wal-Mart to open 48 at yearend.
January 1, 2001... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Wal-Mart will put its store operations team and the logistics capabilities of its vendors to the test with the opening of 48 domestic store locations this month. Included in the total are 22 discount stores, 20...

Store closings imminent for office superstore channel.
January 1, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Instead of ushering in the New Year with a bang, Office Depot and OfficeMax announced separate store-closing measures that are setting the tone for 2001 as more of a bust in the office supplies channel. An...

New Home Depot president and ceo identifies sales growth as job one.
January 1, 2001... ATLANTA - Keeping up the pace of growth and double-digit sales gains may prove Home Depot president and ceo Robert Nardelli's greatest challenge in the face of a slowing economy. Nardelli was appointed president and ceo last month to replace...

Gasoline fuels heavier traffic at clubs.
January 1, 2001... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- In recent weeks, BJ's has been getting a boost from financial analysts impressed with it's nascent gasoline business, and it's not the only warehouse club showing promise in this category. In fact, gasoline sales may...

Industry changes all the buzz.
January 1, 2001... CHICAGO -- The latest edition of the Housewares Show, held Jan. 14 to 17 at Chicago's McCormick Convention Center, will see new faces, new products and even a new name for the organization that sponsors the show-- all of which is fitting in...

Convention switches gears.
January 1, 2001... LAS VEGAS -- As VSDA convention organizers put the final touches on their annual convention, they are doing so with the hopes that this year's change in schedule--from summer to winter--will breathe new life into a show that's been hit with...

Kmart's LaDuke to retire.
January 1, 2001... TROY, MICH. -- Kmart Corp. announced vp and secretary Nancie LaDuke will retire effective Feb. 1, 2001. Jim Defebaugh will fill the post. LaDuke joined Kmart in 1977 as commercial law attorney and then commercial law counsel, prior to being...

Container Store great place to work.
January 1, 2001... NEW YORK -- The Container Store, for the second year in a row, topped Fortune magazine's list of the 100 best companies to work for. Others included Whole Foods Market (41), Publix Supermarkets (50), REI (65), Wegman's (66), Wal-Mart (80),...

RadioShack board repurchases shares.
January 1, 2001... FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- After repurchasing roughly 70 million shares for $1.5 billion, RadioShack's board authorized the repurchase of an additional 10 million shares.

Michaels buying more of its own stock.
January 1, 2001... IRVING, TEXAS -- Michaels Stores completed a share repurchase program totaling five million shares. Since it started in July 1999, Michaels spent nearly $151 million to purchase the shares, representing 15% of its 32.3 million shares. The...

Federated to test new Bon Marche store.
January 1, 2001... CINCINNATI -- A store prototype will debut in Helena, Mont., in 2001 under the Bon Marche nameplate operated by Federated Department Stores. The 65,000-sq.-ft. store will offer upscale apparel, accessories and home merchandise, excepting...

ShopKo names new cfo.
January 1, 2001... GREEN BAY, WIS. -- ShopKo named Brian Bender senior vp and cfo. He most recently served as vp and cfo at Egghead.com, but has experience with May and Proffitt's department stores.

WWRE gathers for third meeting.
January 1, 2001... TOKYO -- A the WorldWide Retail Exchange meeting, 350 supplier and retailer attendees received a demonstration of the B2B platform technology that will streamline the traditional retail supply chain. The group currently has 53 retail members.

Grow Biz names new president.
January 1, 2001... MINNEAPOLIS -- Grow Biz has named Stephen Briggs president and coo for Grow Biz International, an operator and franchiser of value-oriented retail concepts such as Play It Again Sports, Once Upon A Child and Music Go Round. He previously...

Amazon introduces on-line outlet store.
January 1, 2001... SEATTLE -- Amazon.com introduced an "outlet store" component to its Web site the week prior to Christmas and alerted customers to the change via e-mail. The move is a logical one, considering Amazon faces the same issues as bricks-and-mortar...