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Any retail site knows that social media is their friend. Not only do sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest have the massive user bases to drive traffic, but they also have the opportunity to drive traffic based on the trust factor. If one of your friends recommends a product (as opposed to a typical ad), you're much more likely to check it out. That's the thought behind Facebook's main advertising platform, the Sponsored Story (and why it's crushing traditional ads). But not all social media sites are created equal when it comes to driving retail traffic.

Garden City, N.J. -- Rue 21 Inc. said Thursday it has appointed Sabre Real Estate Group as its exclusive broker for Long Island, N.Y., and charged the company with opening more than a dozen Rue 21 stores in the area. Rue 21, based in Pittsburgh,...

Hollister has fired three male models it flew in for the opening of its first store in South Korea after the models mocked Asians in photos and on their social media accounts, according to various media reports. During the models' gig from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, they tweeted photos of themselves making squinty eyes, mocking their Asian fans' accents and engaging in other offensive behavior such as flipping off the camera. A spokesman for Hollister parent company Abercrombie & Fitch said that the models were fired after the company investigated the incident

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier 1 Imports reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Aug. 27 surged to $26.2 million from $16.6 million last year, prompting the home goods retailer to raise its full-year adjusted profit forecast for the second time...

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 8.5 percent in September compared with the same month last year, and strong increases are expected into the holiday season despite talk of a possible strike at East...

Holiday retail sales in the U.S. may rise 3.3 percent as more confident consumers increase their trips to the mall, according to researcher ShopperTrak. Store visits during the busiest shopping period of the year are expected to rise 2.8 percent after declining last November and December, according to an e-mailed statement from the Chicago-based firm that tracks so-called foot traffic in thousands of U.S. stores. Sales gained 3.7 percent during the same period in 2011, the company said.

New York-based Ann Taylor announced that it will open its first Canadian store located in the Toronto Eaton Centre on Oct. 5. The new store will mark the first international store for Ann Taylor. The brand’s second international store in Canada, located...

The former Target chief marketing officer and J.C. Penney president will join Gap on Sept. 17 in an advisory role, Ad Age has learned. According to an executive close to the company, Gap CEO Glenn Murphy recently announced the news to a select group of executives. Mr. Francis will be the company's first marketing creative adviser and is expected to spend two weeks a month in the Gap offices. A Gap spokeswoman declined to comment. Mr. Francis could not immediately be reached for comment.

New York -- Toys “R” Us’ holiday 2012 plans include a “hot toy” reservation program, free and expanded layaway services and offering more exclusive toys from branded manufacturers along with more proprietary products. The nation’s largest specialty toy...

New York -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in the wake of investor pressure, according to Reuters. The report was based on a source familiar with the matter who did elaborate on the nature of the pressure was or name the...