Russell’s Convenience Stores Enhance POS

More than a dozen Russell’s Convenience Store locations implement Wincor Nixdorf's  BEETLE hardware and NAMOS software solutions. Russell’s will use the system to help create an efficient c-store POS experience. By integrating the company’s proprietary Tenderfoot back office suite, Russell’s has access to real-time POS data that is used to make business decisions throughout its network of stores.

Russell’s chose Wincor Nixdorf’s retail solutions based on the company’s ability to integrate with the existing Tenderfootplatform. Following a three-month testing period, they were able to deliver a full store implementation in a span of seven days as opposed to the six-week implementations Russell’s had experienced in the past with a previous supplier. 

“After implementation, we quickly realized POS transaction time improved by nearly 40 percent, which, in our retail landscape, is a very significant improvement,” said Ray Huff, president of Russell’s parent company HJB Convenience. “Also, by integrating our Tenderfoot back office solution with Wincor Nixdorf’s NAMOS software, our closing process immediately ran significantly faster, saving nearly a half hour per day, per store and reduced wages across our chain.”

Boot Barn Implements SaaS Platform

Overstock.com Unveils Plans to Sell Internationally

Retailers Cash in on $150 Billion Tax Rebate Bonanza

Roughly $150 billion dollars will be distributed to American consumers over the next couple of weeks, as part of the government's initiative to boost the economy. As consumers make plans to cash their stimulus checks, retailers also are making plans to cash in. Here's a look at who's doing what to capture the biggest share of these disposable income checks.

The National Retail Federation conducted a survey of nearly 8,000 consumers that found that 40.6 percent of respondents are allocating their rebates to "purchasing something they would not have otherwise purchased without the help of the rebate check." NRF estimates this translates into $43 billion of unplanned, incremental spending due to the Act, and only $20 billion will be saved. The first round of checks (mailed out on May 2, 2008) have led retailers to believe and anxiously anticipate an upturn in consumer spending.

RSR Research, along with Manhattan Associates, conducted an online survey of 95 retailers and found that 35 percent plan to capture consumer spending from the stimulus plan. According to the survey, big box retailers plan to do the most, with 78 percent of big box specialty retailers planning to take advantage of the additional consumer spending and 55 percent of general merchandise and apparel retailers.

True Religion Apparel Reports 2008 First Quarter Financial Results  

True Religion Apparel announces financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Net sales for the 2008 first quarter were $53.4 million, an increase of 47.4% from $36.2 million in the 2007 first quarter. Net sales in the Company’s U.S. wholesale segment increased 29.5% to $32.5 million from $25.1 million in the prior year. The Company’s international wholesale business increased 28.5% to $8.9 million from $6.9 million in the 2007 first quarter. Net sales for the consumer direct segment, which includes the Company’s branded retail stores and e-commerce site, increased 190.3% to $11.8 million from $4.1 million in the prior year.

Net income for the 2008 first quarter was $6.9 million, or $0.29 per diluted share based on weighted average shares outstanding of 24.1 million, compared to $5.2 million, or $0.22 per diluted share based on weighted average shares outstanding of 23.8 million in the 2007 first quarter.

“The first quarter of 2008 marked a continuation of the strong growth True Religion delivered in the second half of 2007,” said Jeffrey Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer of True Religion Apparel. “We achieved year over year revenue growth of 47% thanks to the positive customer response to our spring 2008 collection. Our first quarter results reflect the continued execution within each of our major growth platforms, as we exceeded our internal expectations of our U.S. wholesale business, improved our international performance, and continued to provide our customers with an expanding assortment of sportswear product offerings to complement our core premium denim jean collections. We are confident that we are moving in the right direction to establish True Religion as a truly global, aspirational brand.”

During the 2008 first quarter, True Religion opened 3 new stores, bringing its total store count as of the end of the first quarter to 18 stores. To date in the second quarter, the Company has opened seven new stores, bringing the total store count to 25 stores as of May 8, 2008. The Company anticipates opening at least 10 additional new stores before the end of the year, for a total of at least 35 stores by year end 2008.