DSN Retailing Today articles from November 2000

DSN Retailing Today archives from November 2000

Bricks-and-clicks model shows promise for mass.
November 20, 2000... DSN NATIONWIDE REPORT -- The official birth of e-commerce for Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target in 1999 was by all measures a limited--albeit concerted-- effort. In the words of Andersen Consulting managing partner Jeff Luker, "It was [their]...

Ames to shutter 32 underperforming stores.
November 20, 2000... ROCKY HILL, CONN. -- Ames announced earlier this month that it will close 32 stores this quarter, including 31 former Hills locations. The closings are part of a restructuring plan that will eliminate underperforming stores in markets at the...

RadioShack 'reinvents' style, takes connectivity to Tuscon.
November 20, 2000... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- "This is the beginning of the reinvention of RadioShack," declared Leonard Roberts, chairman, president and ceo, at the grand opening of 14 new stores here 10 days ago. Although they're new, the Tucson stores aren't a...

New ceo outlines Lacy side of Sears.(Alan Lacy)
November 20, 2000... HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- While the country woke Nov. 8 to news of a presidential election deadlock, another president--Sears' new leader Alan Lacy--was addressing the analyst community and laying out strategic plans on how he plans to grow...

Sears Canada launches new Eatons catalogue.
November 20, 2000... TORONTO -- A slim and flashy catalog is offering Canadians a preview of what's in store at Eatons, as Sears Canada prepares to relaunch the historic name this month. The last time a catalog was published bearing the Eaton name was 25...

Wal-Mart greeters get wrapped up in yarn promo.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... NEW YORK -- Getting prime promotional space at retail is the goal of every vendor. So when a small guy gets a spot front and center at the world's largest retailer, it's like a home run in the bottom of the ninth of game seven of the World...

DSN names West Coast video editor.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... LOS ANGELES -- DSN Retailing Today has named Doug Desjardins West Coast senior editor, announced Tony Lisanti, editor and associate publisher. In his new position, Desjardins will be covering retail trends in home video, video games and...

Best Buy comes up short on earnings.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... MINNEAPOLIS -- Believers in the digital product cycle will find Best Buy an even better buy since its share price plunged to $20 from $32 on Nov. 9 after the company said it would significantly miss third and fourth quarter profit targets....

Office superstores to take hit in 2001.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... DELRAY BEACH, FL. AND SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO -- Office Depot will announce plans to close an undetermined number of its 863 U.S. and Canadian Stores in early January when it hosts a conference call to discuss results of a comprehensive business...

Kohl's dodges slump, posts strong comps.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS. -- Kohl's is one of the few retailers unscathed by the consumer spending slowdown that has caused other operators same store sales and earnings to come up short of estimates. Kohl's reports same store sales increases of...

Investment bank hires ex retail leader.(Bear, Stearns and Company Incorporated, David Edwab)(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... FREMONT, CALIF. -- Former Men's Wearhouse president and current vice chairman David Edwab has joined Bear, Stearns & Co. as senior managing director in charge of retail investment banking operations. Edwab, a certified public accountant,...

Sam's Club adds luster to jewelry department.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... SPRINGDALE, ARK. -- The addition of striking black jewelry display cases and a product offering that includes some stunning pieces could help Sam's Club goose next year's same store sales. The new fixture program and upgraded product...

Cabela's megastore masters sports and entertainment.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... DUNDEE, MICH. -- Mass sporting goods retailers have been testing new store formats and marketing strategies for the better part of the last decade, and most are still searching for the right combination that will compel consumers to beat a...

Service Merchandise to focus on jewelry and home for holiday.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Service Merchandise has completed its chainwide repositioning to a new, smaller store presentation as it moves into the critical make-or-break holiday season. If the new strategy, which focuses heavily on jewelry, home...

APPEX show features top auto products.
November 20, 2000... LAS VEGAS -- The automotive aftermarket industry was out in full force at this year's AAPEX 2000 show, held at the Sands Expo Center at the beginning of November. Some 85,000 attendees flocked to the city of sin to kick off North America's...

When H&M comes to town, Manhattanites queue up.(Hennes og Mauritz A/S)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... NEW YORK -- H&M is more than a phenomenon. It's a retailer with a plan for systematic and profitable expansion in the United States. Its latest moves include openings in New York City's Herald Square and in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., but this is...

Popularity of PL toys stems from benefits in cost, exclusivity.(Private label toys)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
November 20, 2000... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Private-label toy lines are all the rave at mass, as retailers try to boost holiday sales in a manner that gives them total control over price and inventory. The strategy has caught on at many leading toy retailers...

Pets.com goes to the dogs.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... SAN FRANCISCO -- Pets.com announced earlier this month that it was ceasing operations. The company, which sold pet food and other supplies over the Internet, had lost large sums of money and found itself unable to raise more cash or find a...

Furniture.com discontinues operations.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... FRAMINGHAM, MASs. -- Furniture.com, the once-leading on-line retailer of furniture and home furnishings, discontinued operations earlier this month and laid off 76 of its 88 employees. The company cited difficulty securing sufficient capital...

PriceNgine.com debuts search site.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... LOS ANGELES -- PriceNgine.com, a comprehensive, impartial search engine and merchant index for consumer electronics, toys and office products, debuted last month. The site uses proprietary "Intellicrawl" technology to search the Web in "a...

ThreadeXchange teams with TradeOut.(ThreadeXchange.com, TradeOut.com)(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... NEW YORK -- ThreadeXchange, a full-service global sourcing company for the apparel industry, announced earlier this month a strategic partnership with TradeOut, a leading business-to-business marketplace for excess inventory. Under the...

Rosy forecast of on-line holiday shopping.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- The NPD Group predicts on-line sales will reach $12.5 billion this holiday season--due in large part to a surge in the number of on-line buyers and an increase in spending by holiday 1999 on-line shoppers. The...

Webvan launches redesigned site.(Webvan Group Incorporated)(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... FOSTER CITY, CALIF. -- Webvan Group announced the launch of its redesigned Web store on Nov. 10, complete with a new logo and branding strategy to let the e-commerce world know it is not only an on-line grocer but a diverse national e-tailer,...

Ames cautiously expands on line with limited-sku commerce site.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... Second shot at on-line sales promises more than first ROCKY HILL, CONN. -- Ames launched its second-generation e-commerce site earlier this month, and even if it's currently a little light on merchandise, it is a sure indication that the...

INSIDER TRADES.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT AutoZone: Charles Elson, director, bought 4,600 shares on Sept. 25 at $22.38, now owns 4,600 shares; Timothy Vargo, president,...

Family Dollar Stores.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... Family Dollar Stores' board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend on the company's common stock of $.05 1/2 per share, payable Jan. 15, 2001, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec. 15, 2000.

Dollar General Corp.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... Dollar General Corp. announced that its board of directors declared a dividend of $0.032 per share, payable Dec. 4, 2000, to common shareholders of record on Nov. 20, 2000.

Traditional retailers will dominate the Internet.(Brief Article)
November 20, 2000... If the dot.com phenomenon has turned into the dot.com bust, then exactly what does this mean for the future of Internet retailing. It means that the traditional retailers that have integrated bricks, clicks and catalog are poised to grab...

Holiday 2000 statistics that every retailer should know.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 20, 2000... In the last two weeks, America's mass media has flooded the airwaves and newsstands with a veritable sea of statistics from the presidential election. Little-known kernels of trivia were thrown at us at a blistering pace--such as the tie...

Holiday 2000 outlook: spirits high, sales soft.
November 6, 2000... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- Judging by the holiday sales predictions of leading industry analysts, there's only one way to describe Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan: the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas. For it's the Fed's series of...

Ex-Home Depot execs debut Dekor concept.
November 6, 2000... ATLANTA -- The spirit of innovation is alive and well in the home channel, as Sears' Great Indoors and Home Depot's Expo can attest. But the big guys aren't alone. In the Atlanta market, Dekor, a small bricks-and-mortar start-up, is throwing...

Dick's opens five Midwest stores.(Dick's Sporting Goods)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Poised to become nation's largest sporting goods chain KANSAS CITY -- With the simultaneous grand opening of five stores in Kansas City, Dick's Sporting Goods is betting big on a market entry that could foreshadow its emergence as the...

EBay TV show in the works.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... On-line auction giant seeks ties to off-line community SAN JOSE, CALIF. -- EBay Inc., the clear leader of the Internet auction category, will shed its pure-player status by entertaining another multimedia retail category, television. On...

Wal-Mart links new site to stores.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... MENLO PARK, CALIF. -- It could be a happy holiday season for Walmart.com if its recently re-launched Web site is able to perform under the anticipated crush of visitor traffic. The reason traffic to the site is expected to increase...

Wal-Mart accessible via New York jets.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... HIGHFILL, ARK. -- Twice daily direct flights on American Eagle 37-seat jets from New York's La-Guardia Airport to Wal-Mart's Bentonville headquarters are scheduled to begin Dec. 2. Previously, traveling between Northwest Arkansas and New...

Gap gets new designer.(Jerome Jessup)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... SAN FRANCISCO -- Expect some new looks at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic as Gap Inc. named Jerome Jessup executive vp of product design and development. He previously served as head of product design and development at Banana Republic. He...

Tractor Supply adds operations talent.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Rapidly expanding Tractor Supply Company has strengthened its store operations team with the recent appointment of James Wright as president and coo. Joe Scarlett, who previously held the title of president, will remain as...

Whole Food maintains growth plan.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... AUSTIN, TEXAS -- Whole Foods Market is counting on sales growth of 20% to 25% and same store sales in the 7% to 90% range for its fiscal year that began Sept. 25. The company, which operates 117 stores, and had annual sales last year of $1.84...

Sears' earnings up.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Chain rolls out new Tool Territory department, on-line service features HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. -- Growing consumer acceptance of the discount department store has taken its toll on the mid-tier channel, and Sears has arguably felt the...

CE is exception to ho-hum holiday view.(consumer electronics sector )
November 6, 2000... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The consumer electronics sector has followed its retail brethren into the recent stock market tailspin. True, the economy appears be slowing, gas prices are rising and retailers are feeling the negative effects of...

Circuit City woes: economy induced or self-inflicted?(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... RICHMOND, VA. -- Circuit City, the one-time story stock and consistent performer of the last two decades, has fallen on hard times of late. New management, a dramatic change in merchandise mix and an ambitious remodeling program have come...

Ultimate Roadshow latest Sam's Club innovation.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... WILLOUGHBY HILLS, OHIO -- Sam's Club is testing the upper limits of its ability to sell big-ticket merchandise with a promotion called "Ultimate Roadshow." Roadshows, the limited duration offerings of merchandise, are a staple of the...

Costco cooks up Factory concept.(Costco Companies Inc. fresh food)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... ISSAQUAH, WASH. -- The aroma of roasting coffee beans, fresh-squeezed orange juice and homemade beef jerky are a few foods Costco is experimenting with to tantalize club members as it tests a new private-label, fresh-food concept. The...

A Shift in Sales of Seasonal Decorations.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... In the latter half of the 1990s, Halloween has been a boon to the decorative accessories industry as consumers nearly doubled their spending from 1996 to 1999. But the same does not hold true for the Christmas period, which saw sales of...

SHOPA show turns 10.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... 2000 event to be biggest in history On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the international School, Home & Office Products Association (SHOPA) show, organizers are putting the finishing touches on an event that promises to be the biggest...

Retailers, manufacturers ally, form pro-Internet consortium.(Internet Home Alliance)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... SAN FRANCISCO -- A consortium of leading technology companies and retailers announced three weeks ago the formation of the Internet Home Alliance, a group whose stated purpose is a "[dedication] to enhancing the consumer's understanding,...

Burlington sheds old coat, goes for brighter, homier look.(Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... BRANDON, FLA. -- Burlington Coat Factory's dowdy-sounding name has always belied its broad assortment of quality merchandise. And the enhanced appearance of its stores is giving customers another reason to wonder why they stick with such an...

Weiner's files for Chapter 11.(Weiner's Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... HOUSTON, -- Plummeting sales of national brand apparel and footwear, once the lifeblood for Weiner's, forced the retailer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. Nike and Levi's, brands that the chain heavily relied upon in...

Excite@Home and RadioShack sign deal.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... WALTHAM, MASS. -- Excite@Home and RadioShack inked a deal designed to acquire do-it-yourself subscribers who wire their computers for Internet access via cable TV lines. Consumers are able to visit RadioShack stores through Excite to purchase...

AOL, FDS expand e-commerce.(AOL Time Warner Inc.; Federated Department Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... CINCINNATI -- Federated Department Stores and America Online have expanded their e-commerce relationship, bringing Federated's e-commerce brands wider placement across several categories of the Shop@AOL shopping destinations. Under the...

Amazon.com chooses eXcelon data system.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... SEATTLE -- Amazon.com has chosen eXcelon Corp's B2B and data management solutions to create stronger ties with partners and enable faster updates of its Web site. Using eXcelon's B2B Integration Server and B2B Portal Server, Amazon.com...

Ashford.com, LookSmart sign agreement.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... HOUSTON -- Luxury goods e-tailer Ashford.com and LookSmart have signed an agreement to provide sub-site listings that will promote individual pages within Ashford's site. LookSmart's sub-site listings help businesses expand their traffic...

Global Sports sites added to MSN eShop.(TheSportsAuthority.com; Oshman's Sporting Goods Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
November 6, 2000... KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. -- Thesportsauthority.com and Oshmans.com have been added to the MSN eShop thanks to an agreement between Microsoft and Global Sports, developer and operator of the two sporting goods retailers' Web sites. The two...

Electronics Boutique allies with Microsoft.(Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... WEST CHESTER, PA. -- Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft Corp. in which customers will receive rebates up to $400 after they have purchased eligible merchandise and signed up for MSN Internet...

Women.com and GM expand partnership.(General Motors and Women.com launch "Women in Motion" Web site)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... SAN MATEO, CALIF. -- Women.com expanded its partnership with General Motors with the launch of the new "Women in Motion" Web site. The site features Chevrolet, Buick, GM BuyPower, OnStar, GMAC Financial Services and GM Goodwrench. It provides...

ReturnBuy to begin returned item biz.(to launch service in January 2001)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... ASHBURN, VA. -- ReturnBuy will begin processing and reselling returned items from its new state-of-the-art facility in Columbia, S.C. ReturnBuy is the first company on the Internet to create a returned merchandise marketplace. The company...

1-800-flowers appoints vp, marketing.(Pamela Knox)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... WESTBURY, N.Y. -- Pamela Knox has joined 1-800-flowers.com as senior vp of marketing after serving most recently as vp of Citibank's marketing delivery group.

EToys adds 'Room Decor' to mix.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
November 6, 2000... Children's furnishings department advances PL program SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- Everyone seems to be getting into the home goods business these days, including eToys, citing margins and brand building as primary reasons for the appearance...

Land's End crosses threshold of Internet retailing excellence.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... DODGEVILLE, WISCONSIN -- Since its entrance on the e-tailing scene five years ago, the mail-order family apparel outfitter Lands' End has customized its business plan to ensure a perfect fit in cyberspace. Lands' End's seamless transition to...

Fogdog acquired by Global Sports.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Mounting losses leave pure-player little option KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. -- Burning through cash and with profits nowhere in sight, Fogdog, Inc., agreed to be acquired by Global Sports, Inc., a developer and operator of Web sites for sporting...

FINANCE WATCH.(Insider trading in securities)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... INSIDER TRADES NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT Dollar General: Earl Weissert, vp, bought 3,000 shares on Sept. 28 at $17.06, now owns 20,250 shares. ...

Tandycrafts Inc.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Tandycrafts Inc. announced last month that it had reached an agreement with its senior lenders to amend the company's revolving credit facility. The $40.5 million facility, which will expire on March 31, 2001, represents an increase of...

Holiday season is critical to retailers' spirits.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... It's that time of year when all the prognosticators are reporting their sales predictions about the Holiday 2000, which for the most part are on the soft side vs. last year. There was a time, I think, when the holiday season was more...

Dot.com staffing woes bode well for bricks-and-mortar.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Unemployment is down, way down. In fact, the national unemployment rate, currently at 3.9%, hasn't been this low in 30 years. Great news for the economy--even better news for consumer confidence. But as many retailers head into the most...

Taking the lead on issues, high-profile and otherwise.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... The "flashy" issues that make the headlines--capturing the public's attention and engendering a flurry of sound bites from pundits and politicians--aren't the only ones causing retailers to sit up and take notice. Retailers often read about...

E-solutions for surplus inventory.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... It is a problem that plagues every retailer and manufacturer: what to do with excess inventory. Current methods of buying and selling excess inventory are time consuming and inefficient. Precious resources that could be dedicated to selling...

Wal-Mart, Home Depot.(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... With Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe's threatening Sears' leading market share in appliance sales, Sears added a new product to its arsenal: a Kenmore-brand washer that launders bulky items but is gentle on delicates. The Kenmore Elite washer...

Stambaugh Hardware.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Ohio-based Stambaugh Hardware filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. With 26 stores in Ohio and Pennsylvania, it has retained a turnaround firm and is seeking to sell its assets. Despite the opening of prototype neighborhood...

Lowe.(partnership with NationsRent)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Lowe's six-month test of rental centers in a half dozen stores will be expanded as a result of a multiyear partnership with NationsRent. Operated as a store within a store, the NationsRent centers will offer a full line of construction tools...

Payless Cashway.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... A new strategy by Payless Cashways to focus on professional customers will result in the closure of 22 out of its 155 stores. This move is expected to reduce the chain's debt by $60 million. As part of its plan, the retailer recently opened...

Coleman Powermate.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... After a three-year absence, Coleman Powermate has re-entered the pressure-washer market. The Sunbeam subsidiary has launched gas-powered washers in three series--standard, premium and premium plus. Other products include a combination air...

Pretty Paints.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... One of the first paint products designed with kids exclusively in mind is rolling out to retailers nationwide. Though still quite new, the Disney Color paint line is drawing rave reviews. "The reaction we've received from retailers is...

Faux finishes hoping to colorize category sales.
November 6, 2000... Getting consumers to think differently about paint is no small feat, but manufacturers are taking on the Herculean task at an accelerated pace--and in the face of sluggish industry growth they are embracing faux finishing and expanding into...

Kmart.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Kmart and Grover remain partners. The retailer has renewed its licensing agreement for newborn, infant and toddlers apparel with Sesame Workshop, formerly the Children's Television Workshop. The renewal is for three years.

Goody's Family Clothing.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Goody's Family Clothing opened four stores -- three new stores and one relocation -- on Oct. 19. The new stores are located in Decatur, Ala., Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., and Logansport, Ind. The Bessemer, Ala., store, which had been located in the...

VF Corp.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 6, 2000... In announcing record sales of $1.6 billion for the third quarter of 2000, VF Corp. said that domestic jeanswear sales rose by 9% with increases in the mass market, Lee and western divisions. Knitwear improved by 7%, showing strength in...

The NPD Group.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 6, 2000... More men think smell is swell, according to The NPD Group. In a study entitled FragranceTrack Men's 2000, the company reported that half of all men who wear fragrance now wear it daily. Sales of men's prestige fragrances rose to $960 million...

The Limited.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... The Limited has promoted Stuart Burgdoerfer to vp and controller. He will report to V. Ann Hailey, executive vp and cfo. He had been vp of financial planning.

Goody's Family Clothing.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Lana Cain Krauter, who was named president and special assistant to Goody's Family Clothing chairman Robert Goodfriend in January, will take on the title of president and chief merchandising officer.

Packs.(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... As Sears learned in the latest quarter, accessories can count for a lot -- and one segment of the apparel accessories business that has grown appreciably is packs. This business is helping VF. It owns one of the best known names in the arena,...

Plus gets fit for upgrade, adds fashion, flair to category.(mass merchants develop plus-size clothing businesses)
November 6, 2000... Mass merchants have had success in winning over the plus-size customer -- albeit with fairly unsophisticated merchandising techniques and limited competition from other channels. But as plus has gained momentum over the last few years and the...

Pokemon The Movie 2000.(to reach retailers on Nov. 14, 2000)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
November 6, 2000... "Pokemon The Movie 2000," the sequel to the successful "Pokemon: The First Movie," is slated to arrive in stores from Warner Home Video on Nov. 14, 2000. It will be available on both VHS ($22.96 SRP) and DVD ($24.98 SRP). Warner is hoping the...

Artisan Entertainment.(contract with WhatHotNow.com)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Artisan Entertainment has enlisted WhatHotNow.com to build and operate its official on-line store, promoting the newly released film "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2." The film, released Oct. 27, is the sequel to the independent film turned...

Warner Music Group.(to offer albums in DVD-Audio format)(Brief Article)
November 6, 2000... Warner Music Group will release seven albums in DVD-Audio format Nov. 7, becoming the first major music company to offer this new format. The DVDs feature Advanced Resolution multi-channel audio. The releases include Beethoven: Symphonies...