Articles by Brianna Ahearn

  1. Kmart Newest Retailer To Announce Security Breach 10/16/2014

    For retailers, 2014 may very well go down as the year of the security breach. As consumers manage the aftermath of previous breaches of retailers, such as Target, Home Depot and Michaels, a new retailer has announced they have suffered a security breach. Department store retailer Kmart announced that on October 9  their information technology team detected a breach of their payment data systems. At this time, only Kmart has been affected, and not their parent company, Sears.  The next day, Sears filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

  2. Current Gap CEO To Step Down In February 2015 10/14/2014

    According to The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Wall Street Journal, clothing retailer Gap announced on October 8 that its current CEO, Glenn Murphy would be stepping down from the company. Taking Murphy's place will be Gap's current chairman and digital leader, Art Peck, who's been with the company since 2007. Murphy will be retiring and hasn't announced any further plans. The change in leadership comes on the heels of Gap reporting low September sales, that ended with a 3% drop.

  3. Big Lots Expands Grocery Selection To Compete With Dollar Stores 10/10/2014

    Big Lots, the popular closeout store chain, is undergoing a makeover in its groceries department. The retailer is in the midst of expanding its grocery aisles throughout its 1496 stores nationwide. This change comes as the Ohio-based company notes that another Ohio favorite chain, Kroger, has increased its sales significantly. In an attempt to woo middle-class consumers away from Kroger and other grocery chains, Big Lots has decided to add more perishables and non-perishables. Soon consumers will be able to purchase low-priced quinoa, chips, soda, and even ice cream from the discount retailer.

  4. On The Heels of First Security Breach, SuperValu Announces New Data Breach 10/3/2014

    On August 14, SuperValu announced they had experienced a data security breach in June and July. Now the company is announcing it observed a second security breach into the payment system it uses for its customers. The Wall Street Journal reported the news on September 29, sharing that the company had recently uncovered malicious software on its payment system . The same day, SuperValu posted a press release on its website to warn consumers.

  5. Walmart Brings On Instagram CEO To Steer Technology, E-Commerce Decisions 10/2/2014

    Walmart has always shown an interest in staying current with the pace of technology to help meet the needs of its customers. The company has launched several omni-channel initiatives to help increase sales and stay current in the minds of the consumer.

  6. GameStop, h.h. gregg, Macy's To Nearly Double Workforce For Holiday 10/2/2014

    Retail analysts predict 2014's holiday shopping season should be bright and up from 2013's numbers. According to Forbes, the overall outlook for holiday purchases in 2014 is 8% more than last year, and retailers are already preparing for a busy season. Gamestop, H.H. Gregg, and Macy's have already announced their holiday hire plans, with most stores planning to hire nearly double their workforce.

  7. Nordstrom Opens First Of Six Planned Canada Locations 9/29/2014

    Upscale fashion, beauty and accessories retailer Nordstrom opened its first store in Canada this week. Seattle Times reported more than 2,000 shoppers were at the grand opening. The store is located in Chinook Centre in Calgary, and is the first of six planned stores throughout Canada. Nordstrom chose to locate their Calgary store in the Chinook Centre, a large mall comprised of 250 retailers.

  8. Kroger Enters Online Ordering And Pickup Arena 9/26/2014

    Kroger, the nation's largest company of supermarket operators, has begun testing online grocery ordering and pickup near its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. The test store, located in Liberty Township, is Kroger's attempt at bringing more shopping convenience to its customers. The program is currently using Kroger employees for this test run but should it be successful, the concept will expand to regular customers, then be offered in other regions.

  9. Alibaba Uses Biometric Technology For Mobile Payment App 9/26/2014

    Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce group, is entering into the competitive world of mobile payments. The retailing group is known for their website Alibaba.com, which carries multiple options for wholesale merchandise. The company provides millions of buyers with products in consumer categories including Auto, Electronics, Health and Beauty, and more. The company announced on their blog that they would soon be using biometric technology for mobile payments.

  10. Walmart To Offer Low-Cost Checking Accounts 9/25/2014

    Walmart has offered multiple money-related services, such as check cashing, bill pay, and money orders, for years, but is now taking a step into the banking business. On September 24, the New York Times announced is preparing to offer low-cost checking accounts. The publication reported Senior Vice President Daniel Eckert announced the checking accounts would be available to customers by the end of October. The checking accounts are thanks to a partnership with Green Dot, a prepaid debit card issuer.