Hiring

Retail employment jumped by nearly 13,000 jobs in November, according to the National Retail Federation. The exact figure, 12,900 jobs, excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, NRF noted. Retailers’ holiday hiring traditionally helps boost November’s numbers. The annual hiring of temporary holiday workers is on track to reach the high end of the NRF's…

"If you're a manager, teaching is 90 percent of your job. There's only one reason you hire someone, and that's because you can’t do everything yourself. If you're not prepared to teach, you just don't get it. And if you hire well, and if you teach well, those people wind up doing the job better…

It’s not often that you get to hear from retail legends like Jim Sinegal, co-founder and director of Costco Wholesale Corp. That’s why I was so excited to attend his talk at SAP’s Retail Executive Forum, which was held in New York City earlier this month. And he didn't disappoint. Sinegal served as the CEO…

“We [choose] candidates who understand that it’s not about you winning; it’s about us winning. We don’t try to set up competition between channels. It’s all about one number. If the business comes through one channel or another, what's most important is that the guest came to us from any channel.”

Tommy Bahama is winning over today’s distracted consumers by focusing on unique, unconventional retail experiences for them, according to Doug Wood, CEO of the Seattle-based manufacturer and retailer of casual men's and women's sportswear and activewear, who spoke at the 2017 SAP Retail Executive Forum in New York City yesterday. Case in point: Wood discussed…

The Estée Lauder Companies has a new senior vice president and chief information officer. The company recently named Michael Smith to the role. He reports to Estée Lauder Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Tracey Travis. Smith brings a mix of IT, commercial and functional experience to this leadership role. Using his experience, Smith…

Consumers often decry the early appearance of holiday shopping commercials and decorations. For retailers, however, preparing for the holiday shopping season has become a year-round effort, especially when it comes to fulfillment center staffing. With e-commerce continuing to grow in popularity, much of today’s labor demand has shifted from brick-and-mortar stores to fulfillment centers. As…

Toys“R”Us, Inc., the U.S. toy retailer that filed for bankruptcy protection last week, said on Thursday it is hiring part-time seasonal workers to staff its stores for the holidays, including for a new position of toy demonstrator. The toy chain didn't disclose the number of people it planned to hire nationwide, though its announced openings for seasonal…

In episode 111 of Total Retail Talks, Richard Last, chairman emeritus, board of directors, Shop.org; founding partner, Axcelora; senior director, Global Digital Retailing Research Center, University of North Texas, offers his insights into the state of the retail industry, including how legacy brick-and-mortar retailers must evolve in order to remain viable in today's digital environment,…

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…