Management

Chico's CEO David Dyer, who laid "the foundation for global expansion," will retire next spring, the company announced. Dyer will remain in his current role until a successor is appointed, and will remain on the board in the newly created role of vice chairman until June 2016. The women’s specialty apparel retailer has retained executive…

Ailing hipster retailer Urban Outfitters has announced that the CEO of the brand, Ted Marlow, will retire this summer. Marlow led Urban Outfitters as its CEO twice in the past 15 years; the first time was from 2001 to 2010, and then again from 2012 to 2015. In a conference call announcing the retirement, the Urban Outfitters,…

Lumber Liquidators, the embattled hardwood flooring retailer, said Thursday CEO Robert Lynch "unexpectedly" resigned, following weeks of struggles stemming from safety concerns related to its products. The Toano, Va.-based company will search nationally for a replacement, it said. Company founder Thomas Sullivan will serve as acting CEO. Lynch also stepped down from the company's board…

Nate Waits wakes up before 3 a.m. four days a week to get to his job at a Bentonville, Ark. distribution center for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where the former Marine is among more than 92,000 veterans the company has hired in the past two years. As the two-year anniversary approaches of the Veterans Welcome Home…

Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M launched its first-ever national recruiting campaign Thursday boasting its benefits, pay and sustainability efforts as competition for retail workers has pushed companies to create more attractive workplace environments. H&M is looking to hire thousands of employees to support its rapid expansion in the U.S., which is its second-largest market behind Germany,…

What would you say if your boss told you wouldn't have a boss anymore? No, you're not fired. Your organization is just redistributing power, eliminating managers and job titles. Sound crazy? The concept, known as Holocracy, is gaining steam at some reputable companies. Zappos, perhaps the most well-known adherent to Holocracy, just confirmed that nearly 14% of its staff (210 people, out of Zappo's total workforce of 1,503) have accepted an offer to take a buyout rather than ride out the transition to full-blown Holocracy, the Las Vegas Sun reports.

Branded merchandise (i.e., promotional products) has always been seen as a sidebar for grand openings or sponsorships; however, it should play an integral role within your overall marketing strategy. Through the use of branded merchandise, retailers can show brand personality, reinforce their message and understanding of target audience, and engage with customers in a way that will create brand resonance. To achieve optimal results with your branded merchandise, it's important to have a strategy in place that's tailored to the needs of your target customers. Here are some tips to make sure you use promotional products effectively:

Hear best practices around how to motivate and empower your staff to make your customers feel every bit as important as they are.

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about Wal-Mart in which I expressed disappointment with comments President and CEO of U.S. Stores Greg Foran made to analysts. At that time, he shared a top-line review; he seemed pleased with the performance of Express and Walmart Neighborhood stores and also endorsed the Superstores. Few specifics were provided as to his plans to set a new direction for the business other than state his intention to focus on food areas of the store, manage inventories carefully and improve the customer shopping environment. 

A consortium of major retailers backing a mobile payments effort has appointed a new chief executive a day after member Best Buy announced it would support a competing system created by Apple. Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) announced Tuesday that Dekkers Davidson was leaving the group "to pursue other opportunities." Davidson, who had served as MCX's chief since 2013, will be replaced on an interim basis by Brian Mooney, a former CEO of Bank of America Merchant Services.