All articles by Planet Retail – Page 13
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News
Department store group JC Penney reports net sales decline
Department store group JC Penney reported a net loss of $123m (£77.5m) for its third quarter to October 27, a 14% improvement from $143m (£90.1m) in the comparable period in 2011.Net sales declined by 26.6% to $2.93bn (£1.85bn) from $3.99bn (£2.51bn), while like-for-likes fell 26.1%. During the quarter the retailer ...
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Whole Foods Market launches travel company
Organic grocery retailer Whole Foods Market has launched a travel company aimed at active food lovers who want to experience “what travel should taste like”.The venture, called Whole Journeys, offers 11 itineraries in Europe, China and the US and will run trips from April next year.Tours, which last from five ...
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Sears Canada launches rebranding initiative
Department store group Sears Canada has launched a rebranding initiative after its recent partial spin-off from its US parent, it has been reported. A new tag line, ‘Make Every Day a Great Day’, and an updated logo will be introduced.
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Spar opens first Interspar-pronto convenience store
Grocery retailer Spar has opened the first Interspar-pronto convenience store, as well as its first Pasta & Cafe by Interspar, at Vienna’s Wien Mitte train station.The 4,300 sq ft Interspar-pronto targets travellers, while the Pasta & Cafe restaurant is a new catering venture that has a varying offer throughout the ...
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L’Occitane launches interactive digital catalogues
Beauty retailer L’Occitane has launched interactive digital catalogues across its website and Facebook pages.Featuring animation, multi-point interactive zones and social media integration, the 64 digital catalogues can also be viewed and shared via any mobile device.
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Flipkart adds one-click payment service to website
Etailer Flipkart has added a ‘Save Cards’ feature to its website, allowing customers to check out with a one-click payment. It has been reported that the retailer has built its own payment gateway to store card details, allowing Flipkart increased control over the user experience. The new one-click system will ...
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Amazon plans Kindle range launch in China
Amazon is thought to be planning to launch its Kindle ereader and ebooks range in China as early as this month. It is understood to have gained authorisation to sell five of its devices in China, and a Chinese user guide for the Kindle Paperwhite has also been launched. Last ...
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Ahold introduces click-and-collect
Dutch retailer Ahold has introduced click-and-collect for its domestic entertainment etail operation Bol.com.Online shoppers can now collect orders at 59 Albert Heijn stores, including all AH XL superstores and an outlet in Belgium. Orders placed before 10.30pm will, in most cases, be ready for pick-up by 3pm the next day.
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Dutch variety store HEMA to open standalone grocery shops
Dutch variety store business HEMA plans to open standalone grocery shops following the success of its dedicated beauty stores.HEMA already sells private-label food in its variety stores, and some feature a mini- supermarket department.The retailer has also outlined plans to have 16 stores in France by the end of this ...
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Walmart launches temporary virtual wall
Walmart, in partnership with toy manufacturer Mattel, has launched a temporary virtual wall to enable shoppers to buy toys by scanning QR codes with their smartphones.The wall will operate for four weeks along Toronto’s underground commuter walkway and features two screens of 3D toy images.Walmart Canada toy merchandising director Cheri ...
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French grocer Leclerc reveals plans for growth in Spain
French grocer Leclerc has revealed plans to accelerate growth in Spain, beginning by launching a price comparison website, Buscaelmasbarato.com, in Madrid.The site enables shoppers to compare prices between Leclerc and the region’s largest grocers, including Carrefour and Dia Maxi. It will be extended to other regions and comparison sites will ...
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Fashion retailer Gap reports sales increase
Sales at Gap increased 8% to $3.86bn (£2.4bn) during its third quarter ended October 27. The retailer reported a 6% rise in like-for-like sales, against a 5% decrease in the same period last year.Like-for-likes in North America rose 7% across Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, but fell 3% internationally.For ...
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Walmart to install 10,000 additional SelfServ checkouts
Walmart is to install 10,000 additional SelfServ checkouts from specialist NCR to more than 1,200 US stores next year.The initiative is designed to improve the customer experience and offer shoppers more choice about how they check out. The retailer has been deploying NCR’s self-checkout solutions for more than 10 years.“Our ...
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Rewe International teams up with McDonald’s
Rewe Group’s Austrian division Rewe International has teamed up with McDonald’s to fuel its truck fleet with biodiesel made from the fast food chain’s frying oil.“To make the transport of goods as environmentally friendly as possible is an important pillar of our sustainability strategy,” said Rewe International chief executive Frank ...
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Metro Cash & Carry to expand network
Metro Cash & Carry is to expand its network with openings in Vienna and western Austria.The retailer is also considering opening Junior cash and carrys with a smaller sales area, a higher proportion of food items and a greater focus on servicing hotels, restaurants and catering companies.
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Amazon unveils Family Mart partnership
Amazon has unveiled a partnership in Japan with convenience store business Family Mart, allowing customers to collect and pay for Amazon orders at the group’s 9,100 stores nationwide.Customers choosing to have their parcel shipped to a Family Mart store can pay online or in store using ‘Fami Port’ multimedia terminals.A ...
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Ecommerce group Rakuten launches in Malaysia
Japanese ecommerce group Rakuten has launched in Malaysia as part of its international expansion strategy.The company, which owns Play.com, Buy.com, PriceMinister.com and is an investor in Pinterest, says it will offer more than 11,000 SKUs in Malaysia from more than 40 leading retailers.Rakuten will offer shoppers rewards via its loyalty ...
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Aldi Nord to close smaller shops in Germany
Aldi Nord aims to close smaller shops in Germany of less than 6,500 sq ft.Trade publication Lebensmittel Zeitung reported Aldi Nord has raised its new store specification to 12,900 sq ft from 10,800 sq ft to house branded goods, bakeries and plastic bottle recycling. It has so far revamped 75% ...
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Albert Heijn opens first online grocery collection point
Albert Heijn has opened its first collection point for online grocery orders in the town of Heemstede.The click-and-collect service does not require a minimum order or a collection fee. Albert Heijn plans to open further collection points in Naarden and Tilburg.All three pick-up points are standalone, but the retailer also ...
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Carrefour to sell Malaysian operations to Aeon
Carrefour is selling its operations in Malaysia to Japanese retailer Aeon for E250m (£200.8m).Carrefour is the fourth-largest retailer in the country, with 26 hypermarkets and a turnover of E400m (£321.3m) for the year to June 30.According to Carrefour, the disposal reflects its strategy of “allocating resources to mature countries where ...