DSN Retailing Today articles from May 2002

DSN Retailing Today archives from May 2002

Reporter's notebook: Kmart in court, Part IV.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... CHICAGO -- Kmart consoled creditors last week when company executives and attorneys participated in the mandated Section 341 meeting, as required by Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection regulations and hosted by the U.S. Trustee's office, which...

Tractor Supply to open 56 as part of record expansion.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
May 20, 2002... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Tractor Supply Company's recent opening of 56 stores is only the latest record-breaker for this rural general merchandiser, which is slated to surpass $1 billion in sales this year due to the acquisition of assets from...

For Gart and Sports Authority, timing for merger may be now. (News Analysis).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- The time for a merger between Gart Sports and The Sports Authority may be at hand. Now that barriers to the deal, which was first proposed four years ago, no longer apply, reasons to move forward make sense now more...

Plans for another urban entry underscore Wal-Mart's adaptability.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... DALLAS -- Wal-Mart has broadened its domestic growth horizons to include more urban locations as a result of an increasingly flexible real estate strategy and an ability to operate multilevel stores in urban environments overseas. The...

Party City turnaround progressing: chain better positioned to handle accelerated store growth.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
May 20, 2002... ROCKAWAY, N.J. -- Party City stood on the brink of financial ruin just a few years ago, and while it hasn't completely turned the corner on its rebuilding efforts there is cause for celebration at the nation's largest party superstore chain....

Kmart introduces more new ads for 'Stuff of Life' campaign. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... TROY, MICH. -- Martha Stewart and Jaclyn Smith are starring in two new Spike Lee-directed Kmart commercials promoting Kmart's proprietary brands. The spots, which are part of Kmart's "Stuff of Life" campaign, began airing on network and cable...

Home Depot strives to capture larger share of appliance business. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... ATLANTA -- Home Depot's plans to capture a large share of the appliance business are prompting it to pursue some new initiatives. The company is testing a system whereby it will handle delivering of appliances rather than outsourcing the...

Court approves Frank's bankruptcy plan. (Market Watch).(Frank's Nursery and Crafts)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... TROY, MICH. -- Frank's Nursery & Crafts' second amended joint plan of reorganization was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division. A copy of the plan is scheduled to be filed with the Securities...

ShopKo awards scholarships. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... GREEN BAY, WIS. -- ShopKo awarded $1,000 scholarships to 100 students under its ShopKo Scholar program. The program, in its fourth year, received 13,000 applications, nearly triple the number received the previous year. The ShopKo Scholar...

AutoZone driving in-store traffic with launch of new radio promotion. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... MEMPHIS, TENN. -- AutoZone is launching a new radio promotion designed to generate customer traffic to its stores. The company introduced a "check engine light" program earlier this month and trained employees at each of its 3,000 stores to...

Former Good Guys chairman and ceo sells two million company shares. (Market Watch).(Ron Unkefer)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... ALAMEDA, CALIF. -- The former chairman and ceo of Good Guys Inc. recently sold off nearly 2% of his stake in the company. Ron Unkefer sold 2.1 million shares of Good Guys stock for $4.2 million, according to a filing with the Securities and...

Office Depot launches services in Italy: European operations earmarked for growth.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... DELRAY BEACH, FLA. -- In its quest for continued growth, leading office supplies retailer Office Depot has set its sights abroad. Earlier this month, the specialty retailer announced its latest international expansion plans, which include the...

City of Hope initiative tops Office Depot's efforts.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Office Depot has spent the better part of 2002 gearing up for a multiyear fund-raising effort for City of Hope, a trailblazing biomedical research and treatment institution dedicated to finding cures for cancer and other life-threatening...

Linens shakes out 2001 malaise.(retailer Linens 'n Things)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... CLIFTON, N.J. -- After an off year in 2001, Linens 'n Things is pursuing initiatives in three key areas to better focus management efforts and boost long- and short-term prospects, Norman Axelrod, chairman and ceo, said at the company's...

Society honors JCPenney's 100 years.(Newcomen Society of the United States)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Caption: JCPenney's 100 years in retailing was honored by the Newcomen Society of the United States during a ceremony held April 30 in Plano, Texas. Accepting the award from society president and ceo John Newhall (center) is JCPenney chairman...

FMI echoes price-sensitivity concerns: loyalty, marketing among other prevalent topics.(Food Marketing Institute convention)
May 20, 2002... CHICAGO -- Getting consumers to buy more food proved quite a challenge last year, with industry sales (adjusted for inflation) down 1.1%. Yet that hasn't stopped retailers and vendors from tapping into shoppers' demands for convenience, taste...

Sears' Lacy reaffirms repositioning strategy.(chairman, CEO Alan Lacy)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... CHICAGO -- When it comes to Sears' positioning and prospects these days, chairman and ceo Alan Lacy is delivering a consistent message, which he reiterated at the company's annual shareholder's meeting earlier this month. "We are moving...

New strategic plan drives Canadian Tire.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... TORONTO -- Canadian Tire has developed a new strategic plan and is executing it to remake the company as a more powerful competitor in a changing marketplace, said president and ceo Wayne Sales at the company's annual meeting May 9. The...

FMI echoes price-sensitivity concerns: real-time data exchange promoted at FMI seminar.(Food Marketing Institute)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... CHICAGO -- Developing a new technological relationship between suppliers and vendors was a prime topic of the show and, therefore, got full billing at the seminar entitled "Next Generation Logistics." The consensus of the participants was...

JPMA offers up best in branded safety: private-label lines continue to increase presence.(Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... DALLAS -- The latest products to keep babies safe and happy while at the same time making parents' jobs easier were unveiled at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association show, held May 3 to 5 at the Apparel Mart in Dallas. From...

Toysrus.com to debut new Teletubbies. (e-Watch).(plush merchandise)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... PARAMUS, N.J. -- This fall, the dot-com portal of Toys "R" Us will introduce a new line of Tinky Winkys, Laa-Laas and other Teletubbies merchandise. Available exclusively at Toys "R" Us, the plush items will be made available through a...

Bluelight.com boosts mailbox storage, considers changing domain name. (e-Watch).(may change site name to Kmart.com)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... TROY, MICH. -- Bluelight.com, a subsidiary of Kmart, is making some dot-corn adjustments, one of which may be a name change. According to an Associated Press report, the retailer will decide by mid-July whether to change its Web site name to...

Tweeter Home Entertainment looks to launch new e-commerce site in fall. (e-Watch).(agreement with Global Sports)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... CANTON, MASS. -- Tweeter Home Entertainment has formed a relationship with Global Sports to develop and operate the teeter.com e-commerce site. Under the agreement, Tweeter will handle all of the merchandising, branding and designing of the...

GroceryWorks names new president. (e-Watch).(Gary Rocheleau)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... PLEASANTON, CALIF. -- GroceryWorks, Safeway's provider for online grocery shopping and home delivery has named Gary Rocheleau president. He succeeds Steve Frisby, who rejoined Safeway as president of its Randalls division in Texas. Rocheleau...

1-800-Flowers.com expands gift base with purchase of The Popcorn Factory. (e-Watch).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... WESTBURY, N.Y. -- 1-800-Flowers.com is expanding its gift base to include popcorn and other food items with its acquisition of The Popcorn Factory from Wand Partners Inc., a private investment firm, for about $4.9 million in stock, according...

Men's Wearhouse picks Web provider. (e-Watch).(Blue Martini Software)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... HOUSTON -- Looking to boost in-store traffic and enhance customer loyalty The Men's Wearhouse has selected Blue Martini Software to power its Web site. The new site offers product information and store-locator features for consumers, as well...

EBay connects with Accenture to move excess inventory online.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSNRT REPORT -- E-commerce may have fallen on hard times, but auction giant eBay has figured out a way to capitalize on inherent inefficiencies in the retail industry. The online innovator has teamed up with Accenture to develop...

Talk of price cuts, product roll outs dominate E3's pre-show buzz.(Electronic Entertainment Exposition)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... LOS ANGELES -- A brewing price war among the video game industry's Big Three and major advancements in the future of online gaming are expected to head the bill at this year's Electronic Entertainment Exposition (E3) in Los Angeles May 21 to...

Insider trades. (Finance Watch).(various retailers, executives)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT The Good Guys: Kenneth Weller, chairman, bought 150,000 shares on March 13 at $2.00, now owns 652,000 shares. Pep Boys: Peter...

Retail IPO Scoreboard.(initial public offerings, various retailers)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... RETAIL IPO SCOREBOARD Exchange/Company Gross Shares % Chg. proceeds sold since (in $mil.) (in mil.) offering ...

Major Indices.(stock indexes on April 19 and May 3, 2002)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... MAJOR INDICES Close Close Net Percent 4/19/02 5/3/02 Change Change DSN Retailing Today 5642.10 5428.76 (213.34) (3.78%) Dow Jones Ind. Avg. 10257.11...

Top Gainers & Top Losers.(securities prices for two weeks ended May 3, 2002)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... TOP GAINERS For 2 weeks ended 5/3/02 CSK Auto Corp. (H) 23.97 Factory 2-U Stores 17.51 S&K Famous Brands (H) 16.44 O'Reilly Automotive 15.72 Dollar Tree Stores (H) 13.62 TOP LOSERS For...

Earnings Digest.(first-quarter sales, net income by company)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... EARNINGS DIGEST Amazon.com '02 '01 %chg 1Q 3/31/02 Sales 847.0 700.0 21.0 Net Income (23.0) (234.0) NA ...

DSN Retailing Today Stock Analysis.(on April 19, May 3, 2002)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... DSN RETAILING TODAY STOCK ANALYSIS CLOSING CLOSING NET PERCENT PRICE PRICE CHANGE CHANGE P/E COMPANY 4/19/02 5/3/02 PERIOD PERIOD...

The issues facing today's retailers. (Editorial).
May 20, 2002... There was a simpler time for retail executives when the "stack it high, sell it low" philosophy was prevalent and shoppers were rushing to become part of the discountmania that dominated the nation's retail industry. To say it was easier...

18 million reasons to go urban. (Viewpoint).(Wal-Mart, Best Buy's urban expansions)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Announcements earlier this month that two of the nation's leading mass retailers are expanding within coveted urban markets--Best Buy in New York City and Wal-Mart in Dallas--raised more than a brow in the real estate community. For...

Retailers can reduce govt. interference. (Capitol Concerns).(follow occupational ergonomics guidelines)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Retailers tend to complain about government over-regulation, and with good reason. For an industry that doesn't pollute the environment, deplete our natural resources or engage in monopolistic practices, retailing seems to attract a lot of...

How to fine-tune your advertising. (Guest Column).(relations with advertising agency)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... New data from the American Association of Advertising Agencies shows the average time a client stays with its ad agency has dropped to 3.2 years. In retail, with its unrelenting demand for fast turnaround and quarterly performance...

Wal-Mart appears to have set its sights on heavier expansion in the Northwest with its supercenters challenging Kroger and its Fred Meyer supercenter format. (In the Mix).(new distributio center)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Wal-Mart appears to have set its sights on heavier expansion in the Northwest with its supercenters challenging Kroger and its Fred Meyer supercenter format. Wal-Mart opened its first supercenters in Oregon and Washington...

Sam's Club. (In the Mix).(World's Smartest Shopper contest)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Sam's Club has kicked off a nationwide "World's Smartest Shopper" contest. Designed to encourage new memberships, anyone can visit the clubs during an open house May 4 to 12 to shop and enter the contest. Entries also are...

SuperTarget ponders upscale food strategy: format increases growth potential. (Cover Story).(Target Stores' SuperTarget strategy, plans)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Target's unique take on food retailing has plunged into uncharted territory based on the principle that not all supercenters are created equal. In fact, Target positions its supercenters as upscale food stores, not quite the same as...

Fleming goes national: acquisition of two distributors increases multichannel efforts. (In the News).(Fleming Companies)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... LEWISVILLE, TEXAS -- Fleming's strategy of multitiered food distribution ramped up last month with two acquisitions that make the company a national distributor to convenience stores, second only to Wal-Mart's McClane division. The...

West Seattle Thriftway. (In the Mix).(uses pay-by-touch system)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... SEATTLE -- The latest evolution in quick grocery payment may be a service now available at West Seattle Thriftway. The store features a pay-by-touch system designed by Indivos that allows purchases using existing bank accounts via a VeriFone...

Wild Oats. (In the Mix).(new prototype store)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- A new prototype store for Wild Oats that opened last month offers a fresh layout and format that permits a more interactive experience. The format offers an expanded produce department with 175 organic items and a...

Whole Foods' new format expected to up competition in Texas: upscale food retailer looks to surpass competitors in natural foods. (In the News).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... AUSTIN, TEXAS -- A new Whole Foods Market prototype that is twice the size of the chain's traditional stores could be a significant threat for any retailer that sells natural or gourmet food. The 80,000-square-foot store will be built in...

Kmart will rise once again--in 2008. (Viewpoint).(building on its three advantages)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Sometime in January of 2008, word leaks out and later it's confirmed. Kmart matched its record of $37 billion in sales, last reached in 2001. Sound far-fetched? Things don't look too good for the retailer right now, but is it possible?...

Clubs look to build on successful initiatives: growth raises saturation worries. (Special Report).(membership warehouse store chains)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... The recessionary economy in the United States hasn't halted the advance of U.S. warehouse club companies, which are becoming even better established as a retail format. While Costco, Sam's and BJ's dominate U.S. sales, two other American...

Aurora Foods has teamed up with Masterfoods USA. (In the Mix).(introduces line of brownie mixes)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- Aurora Foods has teamed up with Masterfoods USA to produce a line of brownie mixes called Candy Shop Brownies. The first product under the licensing agreement is a Duncan Hines brownie mix with M&Ms that became available in...

PEZ Candy. (In the Mix).(signs two licensing agreements)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... ORANGE, CONN. -- PEZ Candy is expanding its presence outside the candy aisle with new licensing agreements. The company is partnering with Bradford Licensing Associates to produce PEZ-brand boy's and men's loungewear available in most retail...

Pearly whites. (What's Hot).(tooth-whitening chewing gum)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Gum that whitens teeth is making waves in the confectionery business. Adams Brands recently launched Trident White, a sugarless gum with proprietary whitening technology. Chewing the gum four times a day is supposed to whiten teeth in a...

Candy trends bring sweet success to retailers: innovative flavors, novelty items grow category to $7.5 billion in 2001. (Snacks).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Sweet success lies within reach for retailers in touch with candy trends. As one of the highest impulse purchase categories, confectionery consistently delivers, growing sales from 2% to 5% annually despite the economy. With sales...

Sugarless gum steals mints' thunder. (Snacks).(sales rise 12% in 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Sugarfree gum has grabbed the spotlight from intense mints and gum as one of the strongest growth categories in confectionery, with sales rising 12% this past year. For several years running, strong mints and regular gum had sales growth...

The novelty factor. (Side Dish).(candy industry trends)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Believe it or not, magical horseradish-flavored jelly beans, gummy feet and edible candy notes have become a legitimate and lucrative candy segment. Interactive and novelty candy is now a mainstay for most major candy suppliers as young...

Unilever plans to sell 19 North American food brands to Memphis-based ACH Food Companies. (In the Mix).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... AMSTERDAM -- Unilever plans to sell 19 North American food brands to Memphis-based ACH Food Companies, a division of Associated British Foods PLC. The sale, which is expected to close in September, includes Mazola cooking oil, Argo and...

Uncle Ben. (In the Mix).(launches frozen breakfast entrees)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... VERNON, CALIF. -- A hit in the frozen aisle last year, Uncle Ben's rice bowls is now turning to breakfast. Last month, this division of Masterfoods USA launched Uncle Ben's Breakfast Bowls, microwaveable meals minus the rice in eight...

Hispanic influences. (What's Hot).(food industry targets Hispanic Americans)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Food companies are noticing the growing Hispanic populace. Kraft Foods has added a lime-flavored mayonnaise targeting American Hispanics. Flavors popular in Mexico also are appearing in foods, such as Pillsbury's Dulce de Leche Caramel rolls,...

Cereal selling in need of new promos: special features, in-box prizes among efforts to put pop back in category. (Grocery).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Cereal may be a $7.5 billion business, but stagnant sales over the past five years have continued to haunt suppliers and challenge retailers' efforts to grow the category. Faced with the fact that cereal may never return to sizable growth...

Cereal branding moves up to major leagues. (Grocery).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Brand building has become especially important in the troubled cereal category as companies pull out all the stops to grab shoppers' attention at the shelf. Recently, for example, General Mills partnered with Target stores to create a...

Niche sales up. (Side Dish).(cereals)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Revenue from cereal sales has grown slightly this past year, but unit sales continue to suffer. Data from ACNielsen estimates dollar sales up 1.4% and unit sales flat. Branded cereal, which accounts for 92% of sales, has struggled more...

Kraft is adding two new products to its line of Capri Sun pouch drinks. (In the Mix).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... NORTHFIELD, ILL. -- Kraft is adding two new products to its line of Capri Sun pouch drinks. One is a new flavor, strawberry banana, and the other is a big pouch designed to appeal to teens. The product weighs in at 11.25 ounces, almost double...

Coca-Cola. (In the Mix).(new canned beverage packaging)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola is rolling out a more refrigerator-friendly package that stacks its soda bottles in six rows that are two cans deep, and better suits the typical space. The package will soon be introduced in Chicago and Georgia. The...

Herbal blends. (What's Hot).(Sobe launches Mr. Green Soda Pop)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... New flavor profiles and herbal elements have been characteristic of the so-called New Age beverage category as it has evolved over the last decade. New Age elements have been spilling into other beverage categories, but the trend has taken...

Margins are brewing in the coffee aisle: in-store cafes offer visability, while grocery shelves increase flavored varieties. (Beverages).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... The coffee category is changing dramatically as Java junkies in the United States have gone from looking for a good cup to needing a super fabulous grande cup, regardless of the price. This spells opportunity for food retailers. The more...

Tea gaining ground on coffee. (Beverages).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Food retailers in the nation just don't give tea the same space and push they give coffee. However, like coffee, the tea segment is responding to the gourmet and service parts of the market, creating new margin opportunities. Costco...

Cafe operations prove attractive to retailers. (Side Dish).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Cafes are becoming alluring to food retailers, with Starbucks, for example, a fixture in 600 retail stores in North America. "We primarily are in Safeway and Albertson's, but there are others, including Fred Meyer, Vons and Target...

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (In the Mix).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ground beef plants that don't have decontamination strategies or those that don't require suppliers to have such strategies, will be targeted for greater verification testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under...

Sunkist's updated Web site. (In the Mix).
May 20, 2002... SAN JOSE, CALIF. -- Sunkist's updated Web site, which was redesigned to brighten up its message of healthy eating and enhance the educational content it provides to consumers, retailers, licensees, growers, trade partners and educators, has...

Exotic flavors. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... With America's tastes changing, exotic foods are prompting ever-greater curiosity Frieda's has long specialized in such products and currently is introducing a variety of novel numbers, including Dried Chile Mango, combining two flavor...

Supercenter delis cater to convenience: new self- and full-service operations better accommodate consumers. (Fresh/Frozen).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Joe Pichler, Kroger's chairman and ceo, told DSN Retailing Today at the recent Lehman Bros. Fifth Annual Retail Conference that perishables departments, such as deli, are crucial to its competitive positioning against challengers from other...

Clubs try to work out deli kinks. (Fresh/Frozen).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Warehouse clubs are looking for ways to rationalize their low- labor cost structure and high -labor service departments, such as deli. BJ's is one retailer considering the labor equation. It doesn't have delis at all clubs, but continues...

Meal replacement still strong. (Side Dish).
May 20, 2002... ACNielsen data for the U.S. food, drug and mass channel (excluding Wal-Mart) suggests consumers are happy to buy a range of deli items, whether or not they are of the traditional clerk-prepared variety. The category gained 9.8% in dollar...

Kmart bounces managers as it reshuffles into two divisions.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Susan Dennis, a spokes-woman, told Retailing Today, that the shakeup of senior management is directly reflective of the change in the company's structure, she said. TROY, MICH. -- Kmart has realigned its field organization into two...

Consolidation precipitates void in innovation. (New Products).
May 20, 2002... Fewer chains, stiffer competition and higher stakes for buyers are throwing up a monstrous roadblock on the path to product innovation. Together with the effect of solidly entrenched vendor relationships and intense pressure to deliver set...

Truth in disclosure catches up with creative accounting. (Financial Reform).
May 20, 2002... Enron's unraveling and the loss of billions by its investors and employees may have had nothing to do directly with retail, but that doesn't mean retailers won't feel the effects. In the face of increased scrutiny of corporate affairs,...

Women and minorities still exceptions to the rule. (Diversity).
May 20, 2002... Retailers have been talking about the need for diversity for decades. In fact, many have created well-established positions such as chief diversity officer or vp of diversity within their executive ranks to tackle the topic. Despite the best...

Margins put squeeze on in-store efficiency. (Store Operations).(retailers re-examine labor strategies)
May 20, 2002... Pressure to drive operating costs down and raise profit margins has forced retailers to examine every aspect of their business for efficiency, including labor, a major expense that is variable and within a company's control. And with...

Partnership warrants more than lip service. (Relationships).
May 20, 2002... Despite consolidation, corporatization and even computerization, building relationships remains a critical part of doing business in the retail world. Discussions with retailers, suppliers and observers make it evident that...

Kmart: jockeying for position. (Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 20, 2002... Kmart is fighting for its life in the pages of the daily newspapers. The features discuss financial investigations and the questionable actions of former executives. Potential impropriety in the mercantile world is currently bigger news...

Charming Shoppes: ringing in its plus-size plan. (Cover Story).(Company Profile)(Cover Story)(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Down winding Haunted Lane in a sleepy township near Philadelphia lies one of retail's waking giants: Charming Shoppes. Its headquarters may be in a laid-back portion of the world, but the way the company has attacked the plus-size...

Punky or peasant, skirts hike up sales. (Women's).(latest merchandising trends at women's clothing retailers)
May 20, 2002... A hop, skip and jump ago--the spring 2002 buying season, to be exact--women's apparel retailers budgeted major outlays for skirts; items such as minis, maxis with long slits and a variety of fashion-forward denim models have been key. ...

How loudly will holiday registers ring? (Children's).(latest merchandising trends at children's clothing stores)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Once a huge contributor to children's apparel's total revenue, the holiday season isn't the guaranteed annuity it once was for merchants. Yet fashion, a return to "traditional" values and an added active twist have retailers encouraged. ...

Dressing up trousers. (Men's).(latest merchandising trends at men's clothing stores)
May 20, 2002... If "The Graduate" was an account of the trousers business rather than a classic '60s story of the end of youthful innocence, Benjamin Braddock would still be offered the same word of advice: plastics--or at least polymers. Cotton may...

Efficiency shifts from luxury to survival. (Supply-Chain Management).
May 20, 2002... The role of technology in supply-chain management has evolved dramatically over the last decade. As recently as the late '80s and early '90s, many retailers still had trouble justifying large investments in unproven, costly systems. But in...

Population paradigm shift mandates new marketing. (Consumer Connection).(Statistical Data Included)
May 20, 2002... Understanding the consumer is no mean feat. On the one hand, it requires reams of data about demographics and spending habits, while on the other it necessitates a firm understanding of the basic tenets of supply and demand. And to make...