NEW FEATURE: PRODUCTS FROM THE NACS SHOW 2011
OPERATIONS:
INDUSTRY CALENDAR
NACS WRAP UP COVERAGE
Research and Markets Offers Insights Into Convenience Retailing Changes
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BUYERS GUIDE SEE PAGE 24-25
ConvenienceRETAILER
Volume 4, Number 6
November/December 2011
Shoplifting, Fraud, Errors Cost Billions in Retail Industry
Nearly Half of U.S. Retailers Surveyed Report Increased Losses From Organized Retail Crime
the clothing retailer was left with more than $1 million in fines for violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which requires employers to verify employment eligibility of its employees. The audit uncovered numerous technology-related deficiencies in Abercrombie & Fitch’s electronic I-9 verification system, according to ICE. “Employers are responsible not only
If you don’t think sticky fingers really concerns you, think again. Shoplifting, employee or supplier fraud, organized retail crime and administrative errors have increased 6 percent in the U.S., and 6.6 percent worldwide, costing the retail industry $119 billion in 2011 or 1.45 percent of sales, according to the Global Retail Theft Barometer. This represents the highest percentage recorded by the survey since it began in 2007. Not only is this a cause for concern to retailers, but consumers, too. The cost of theft to U.S. shoppers averages now $435 per family. The study, underwritten by an independent grant from Checkpoint Systems Inc., monitored the cost of shrink loss from shoplifting, employee theft and administrative errors in the global retail industry between July 2010 and June 2011. It found that shrink increased in all regions surveyed. Customer theft, including shoplifting and organized retail crime, up 13.4 percent, was the primary cause in most countries, costing retailers $51.5 bil-
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ICE Crackdown on I-9 Compliance Increases; Smaller Retailers Coming Under Scrutiny Companies Develop Software So Employers Don’t Have To Sweat Audits
Never before has it been more important to make sure every new hire is eligible to work in the United States as the federal government’s pressure on employers increases. Last year, after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Homeland Security Investigations conducted an audit of clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch’s Michigan stores, BY A.J. FLICK
New C-Store Stock Should Recognize Healthy, Tech-Connected Lifestyles, NACS Show
Trendspotters Say Today’s Smartphone-toting, 24-7 college-age young people want more from a convenience store than just grab-and-go. They want health. They want humor. They want food they can eat while they multitask. Finally, of course, they want it all at a good price. These were some of the expectations voiced by a panel of three college-aged Chicago trendspotters with locally popular Twitter accounts, organized by show management at the recent National Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing (NACS) show. Given the run of the show floor, the young convenience store shoppers had these BY ROCELLE ARAGON
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TPE 2012: Two Full Days of Buying & Networking Power Profiles: John Lounsbury, Director of Marketing for Terra Environmental Technologies; Robert Denholtz, CEO of Creative Serving Inc.; and Vic Kennett, Founder and CEO of Kerruso
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BeBevCo’s Koma Unwind Lands C-Store Distributor, First Nationwide Chain Jackie Chan Energizes New V8 Ads
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Online Advertising Lifts In-Store CPG Brand Sales, Studies Show
Customer Satisfaction Stays High for Beverages, Cigarettes and Cleaning Products
Soft drinks, beer and cigarettes—three nondurable goods industries—continue to please their American customers, even though the U.S. sales continue to decline. But at same time, these industries are looking toward the Asian markets to boost balance sheets, according to a new report by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Continued on Page 12
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Balance Calorie Intake with Dole Fruit Smoothie Shakers Power Crunch Protein Cookie Award-winning Healthy Olive Snacks from Olove’s
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Electronic Cigarettes
Nicotek: “Electronic Cigarettes Done Right”