Management

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Taylor Knight reviews the top retail news of the week, including two retailers — Toys"R"Us and Aerosoles — filing for bankruptcy, and Kohl's offering free returns for Amazon.com customers starting in October.

It may seem to be something of a cliché, but it's nonetheless true: now that communication is driven by social media and technology, many feel they can “say” anything that's on their mind, no matter how politically incorrect (a popular expression these days) the message may be. This is an issue that really touches all…

This article originally appeared in the cover story of Total Retail’s Summer issue, Game Changers. Total Retail is the sister publication of Women in Retail Leadership Circle. Total Retail: Where did you get the inspiration to launch your company? Jen Rubio: My old suitcase broke during a trip, and while looking for a replacement, I…

This article originally appeared in Total Retail's sister publication, Inner Circle, the Women in Retail Leadership Circle's weekly e-newsletter. Here's part one of this two-part interview. We’re excited to share part two of our interview with Cindy DiPietrantonio, president of Alex and Ani, an omnichannel retailer of…

Office Depot Inc. has named Jerri DeVard as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. DeVard will lead the strategy for furthering Office Depot’s brand positioning and oversee the integration of all marketing and communications initiatives. She will be responsible for driving the growth and implementation of strategic marketing activities that build brand equity and…

Dollar Tree announced that Gary Philbin was promoted to chief executive. Philbin joined Dollar Tree as senior vice president of stores in 2001, and was named chief operating officer six years later. He was appointed enterprise president earlier this year with responsibilities for both the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar chains of stores. Philbin succeeds…

Rather than hiring seasonal workers, Wal-Mart is offering its permanent employees the opportunity to work extra hours during the upcoming holiday season. "These extra hours will help staff traditional roles like cashier and stocker, and newly created technology-empowered positions such as personal shoppers and pickup associates," Judith McKenna, Wal-Mart's chief operating officer, said in a…

Toys“R”Us, one of the world’s largest toy store chains, has filed for bankruptcy protection, becoming the latest casualty of the pressures facing brick-and-mortar retailers. The company made the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing late Monday night in federal court in Richmond, Va., acknowledging that it needed to revamp its long-term debt totaling more than $5 billion. Toys"R"Us said…

AGI HoldCo, Inc., a multichannel women's footwear brand doing business as Aerosoles, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday with a plan to close 95 percent of its 78 stores and focus on its wholesale, e-commerce and international businesses. Aerosoles blamed its bankruptcy on declining mall traffic, significant industrywide price markdowns and a shift…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, get the latest retail news, including the launch of Nordstrom Local, a merchandise-less store; Amazon.com's 1-Click patent expiring; and the e-commerce giant's search for a new North American headquarters.