At the United Hardware Fall and Winter Buying Market, held July 27-29 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, attendees found ways to improve their average transaction size, increase their margins and invest in their communities. “We had a strong opening attendance, …
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A Closer Look at Target’s Remodeling Plans
As Target continues its plan to remodel roughly 1,000 stores nationwide, senior vice president of sales Joe Contrucci and vice president of store design Joe Perdew shed light on the specific changes shoppers will see at their local Target stores. …
Read More »From A to Generation Z
Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. Generation Z is becoming an increasingly potent market segment. Born after 1995, the cohort’s oldest members are graduating college and entering adulthood. For independent retailers, it’s important to know how …
Read More »Amazon Prime Day Breaks Records, Sells More Than 100M Products
For the fourth year in a row, Amazon broke records on its company-invented shopping holiday, Amazon Prime Day. Although the online shopping event was bugged by an early glitch that prevented shoppers from accessing the website, “shoppers spent an estimated …
Read More »Walmart and Microsoft Plan Technology Partnership
Walmart has announced it will begin using Microsoft’s cloud data technology for a range of cloud, artificial intelligence and internet of things applications. The five-year agreement further deepens the bond between the two companies, which have a common foe in Amazon. …
Read More »HIRI Insights Conference Highlights New Trends
If you want to learn more about popular home improvement projects and the trends, technology and talent driving them forward, plan to attend the 2018 Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) Insights Conference. Held at the Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, …
Read More »Lowe’s Snags Another Top J.C. Penney Exec
Lowe’s has hired a second high-profile J.C. Penney executive, just two months after successfully recruiting the department store chain’s CEO. On July 20, Lowe’s named Joseph M. McFarland III as executive vice president of stores, effective Aug. 15. He will oversee Lowe’s …
Read More »Island Ace Hardware Tailors Its Approach to Support Community
Mark Schulein had just become a local business owner when a storm dumped torrential rain on the north shore of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Schulein and business partner Matt Fales bought Island Ace Hardware in March in Princeville, which …
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