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NEW YORK — Analysts expected 18 top retail chains to report a modest gains in June, as high unemployment and falling consumer confidence have taken a toll on spending. Among the department store retailers reporting June same-store results so far, the results were largely mixed. Macy’s was among the retailers reporting sales that fell short of estimates. Same-store sales rose 1.2% in June, missing Wall Street’s projected 1.9% gain. “June sales were below expectations,” said Terry Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO. “In part, this was a function of a macroeconomic environment that is stagnant at best, and lower

The Men's Wearhouse announced that Neill P. Davis , Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has notified the Company that he intends to leave on August 2, 2012 to accept the position of President with Francesca's Holdings Corporation, a women's specialty retailer where he has served as a director for the past five years. Doug Ewert , Men's Wearhouse President and CEO, stated, "Neill has been an integral part of our senior management team for the past 15 years and he will be missed. We wish him well in his new endeavor."

New York -- As discounters such as Target, Stein Mart and warehouse club operator Costco posted disappointing same-store sales results in June, TJX Cos. and Ross Stores shone with gains that surpassed Wall Street estimates. TJX saw a same-store sales rise of 7% in June, beating the 4.2% rise predicted by analysts. Ross was up 7% for the month, after Wall Street forecast a 4.8% increase. Sales rose 12% to $886 million in June. Both chains raised their second-quarter profit forecasts. Target reported weaker-than-expected same-store sales growth, as June same-store sales rose 2.1% and missed the expected 2.4% rise.

Ascena Retail Group CEO David Jaffe has pledged to preserve the jobs of 7,500 employees at soon-to-be-shuttered Fashion Bug stores, as well as 600 workers at the headquarters of Charming Shoppes, according to an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Ascena, which owns the Dressbarn, Justice and Maurices banners, acquired Charming Shoppes — and its Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Catherines brands — on June 15. Jaffe said that Ascena is committed for at least three years to the Bensalem, Pa., facility that houses executive and administrative offices for Charming Shoppes. 

Fifty percent of Google Product Search traffic will be switching to paid Google Shopping by July 28. Online merchants who aren’t ready for the switch will face some serious repercussions.

Retailers reported largely disappointing sales in June, as consumers pulled back on spending amid concerns about jobs and the economy. Thomson Reuters was expecting its same-store sales index to inch up 0.5 percent in June, far weaker than a year-ago when the index rose 6.7 percent in June. June tends to be a weaker month on the retail calendar with fewer reasons to drive shoppers to the store.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged up to 4.2% in June from a reading of 4.1% in May. The June reading reflected sharp declines in both applications and hiring. (The index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0% means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred.) The retailers representing 18,362 distributed locations across the U.S. that make up the Kronos data sample made 33,473 hires (seasonally adjusted) in June 2012, the lowest reading since October 2011. While the June reading

Phoenix -- PetSmart said Tuesday it has named Paulette Dodson to the position of senior VP, general counsel and secretary. Dodson was previously senior VP, general counsel and corporate secretary at Sara Lee Corp. Before joining Sara Lee, she spent 14 years at the Tribune Co. – which owns The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times – most recently as assistant general counsel for publishing.

Earlier this year several major retailers, including Marks & Spencer, J Sainsbury and John Lewis earmarked the first Olympics on U.K. soil for 64 years as a major opportunity for a fillip to sales. Yet the financial stresses of recession, coupled with an absence of public holidays and unhelpful weather patterns, mean any boost may be muted.

Facebook is rumored to be testing a Want button that would be similar in look and function to its now ubiquitous Like button. The feature was spotted by developer Tom Waddington, who published the button's code on his blog. Such buttons already exist -- but they have been developed by third-party brands to serve retailers eager to maximize exposure on Facebook's Timeline. One example is a button developed by a company called "Want." It counts among its users The Sharper Image, Ron Jon, and DNA Footwear.