Management

Reflecting how outstanding customer service has become a top priority for retailers of all sizes, STELLAService awarded the STELLAService seal to a diverse mix of companies from powerhouses like BlueNile.com, SierraTradingPost.com and Wine.com to specialty shops like Lulus.com and PoolSupplyWorld.com.

Macy’s said it plans to hire approximately 78,000 seasonal associates for its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers nationwide for the 2011 holiday season. The total is up about 4 percent from the approximately 75,000 seasonal associates the chain hired last year.

Toys"R"Us announced that it will hire over 40,000 workers nationwide as it gears up for the all-important 2011 holiday shopping season. The company started hiring this week for retail positions such as toy demonstrators and sales associates.

Gap announced that its Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement program was recognized by former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative, held in New York City. Bob Fisher accepted the honor on behalf of the company.

Express has promoted Matthew Moellering to the position of chief operating officer. D. Paul Dascoli was also appointed chief financial officer. Moellering was previously chief administration officer and CFO. Dascoli most recently served as CFO for VF Jeanswear Limited Partnership.

Check out this story from an angry shopper whose bank account was charged $1,000 for her Missoni for Target order. It's an order Target's claiming was never placed. And she's not alone. Is this the worst Missoni for Target web-order horror story yet? You be the judge.

With the 2012 election season around the corner, the National Retail Federation launched a first-of-its-kind major year-long advocacy campaign to advance jobs, innovation and consumer value on behalf of America's retail industry.

Retailers are likely to hire the same or possibly fewer seasonal workers for the year-end holidays as they hired in 2010, outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas said.

Best Buy announced it will hire 200 information technology specialists over the next year, growing its team from 100 to 300, in a move to take control of its IT department. According to published reports, the hires are part of a strategic effort to appeal to increasingly digital customers.

Upon publicly lambasting 24-year-old college student Nancy Upton for mocking its online contest aimed at plus-size models and then, infuriatingly, winning it, the company has made an about-face and offered to fly Upton to its Los Angeles headquarters to tour its factories, meet its creative team and continue the dialogue about the perception of plus-sized women in the media.