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Broken links, missing baby and wedding registries, and carts with a mind of their own are just a few of Target's problems six weeks after the retailer unshackled itself from Amazon. But irate customers unable to complete purchases and Facebook and Twitter feeds littered with angry comments, all during a period when nearly 40 percent of consumers are shopping for the holidays, may have Target execs wondering if its newfound freedom cost too much.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target report a moderately better than expected 5.3% same-store sales increase for September that was driven by broad-based gains in all categories and geographic regions, the company reported Thursday. The increase was almost entirely due to larger average transaction sizes and came on top of a prior year increase of 1.3%. The company also noted that customer traffic as measured by comparable-store transaction increase a little more than 1%. “We’re very pleased with our September comparable-store sales, which were somewhat ahead of our expectations,” said Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel. “We experienced strong sales results

The retailer aims to have 300 total LEED certifications by the end of next year and more than 500 by 2015.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) honored Gilt Groupe with its 2011 Marketer of the Year award at DMA 2011 in Boston. The DMA Marketer of the Year award honors either a company or an individual for outstanding achievements in the multichannel direct marketing community. This year, DMA CEO Lawrence M. Kimmel presented the award to Gilt Groupe.

Kohl's announced it anticipates hiring more than 40,000 associates nationwide this holiday season, up approximately 5 percent from last year due to store growth in 2011. Kohl’s is bringing on additional associates to provide shoppers with excellent customer service throughout the holiday season.

<span class="articleLocation">A.C. Moore has agreed to be bought by an affiliate of privately held larger rival Sbar's for about $40.8 million in cash. The Sbar's affiliate will pay $1.60 for each A.C. Moore share, a 68 percent premium. A.C. Moore, which also withdrew its outlook, said the Sbar's affiliate received a financing commitment from Wells Fargo to provide debt financing for the deal.

The Finish Line has named Sally McKelvey as vice president of strategy for the Finish Line brand. McKelvey previously served as senior director, operations financial planning and analysis, at 7-Eleven.

New York City -- Saks Fifth Avenue will close its store in downtown Pittsburgh in 2012, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. The news follows negotiations between the retailer, the store’s landlord and city officials over funding for renovations to the building. “In order to remain in downtown Pittsburgh, we communicated to the landlord and city representatives that it was imperative that we secure funding toward a much-needed comprehensive model and upgrade of the store in order to meet competitive pressure and the expectations of our customers and vendors," said spokeswoman Julia Bentley said, in a report by the Pittsburgh

Strong Business, Company Growth Prompt Need For Additional Team Members GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Supercenter chain Meijer is preparing to hire hundreds of new employees for its stores as it prepares for this year's holiday season. The announcement was made today by Janet Emerson, executive vice president of operations for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer. "Meijer is known for friendly customer service," said Emerson. "In order to provide the service our customers expect during the busiest time of the year, we need to be sure we are staffed properly. We are looking forward to

CHICAGO — Claire's Stores, Inc. said Tuesday that it has named Beatrice Lafon President of the European Division, effective immediately. In her position as President of Europe, Lafon will lead the continued growth and expansion of the European business, with direct oversight of buying, merchandising and allocation, supply chain, stores, and the overall operations for approximately 1,100 stores across 13 countries. Lafon will report to Gene Kahn, CEO. She has served in executive positions at TJ Hughes in the UK, Etam Group in the Netherlands, and Animal Ltd. in the UK, as well as held a variety of retail