Sports Unlimited Retail to roll out RFID to 100 multi-brand stores

Nedap today announced that the Dutch multi-brand athletic footwear and apparel retailer Sports Unlimited Retail (SUR) has selected Nedap's !D Cloud software for the RFID roll-out to their 100 stores in the Benelux. The roll-out starts second half 2020.

!D Cloud is a Software-as-a-Service solution specifically developed for retail RFID applications, giving retailers the quickest route to implement RFID and improve their in-store stock accuracy to over 98%. The roll-out decision at SUR was preceded by a proof-of-concept in selected stores to confirm the effectiveness, user-friendliness and scalability of the !D Cloud solution. For the roll-out, all stores will be equipped with the Nedap !D Cloud software and Zebra RFID readers.

Source tagging in a multi-brand retail environment

Optimized sales based on inventory data

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Sensormatic Solutions Showcases TrueVUE Inventory Intelligence Software as a Service (SaaS) for Seamless Unified Commerce at EuroShop 2020

Cloud deployment ranks as top impact driver for retailers' e-commerce opportunities

Johnson Controls announced today its leading global retail solutions portfolio, Sensormatic Solutions, will showcase its TrueVUE Inventory Intelligence Software as a Service (SaaS) built on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) at EuroShop 2020. Sensormatic Solutions' TrueVUE Inventory Intelligence SaaS provides retailers with a real-time view into accurate inventory availability for unified commerce fulfillment. This next generation of inventory intelligence delivers actionable insights and predictive analytics to drive operational excellence and help create unique shopper experiences.

In the fast-paced, agile retail environment, cloud computing is a real attempt for retailers to move at the speed of consumers' evolving wants and needs. Cloud-based technologies are rapidly shifting the retail industry, with cloud deployment ranking as the key driver for e-commerce opportunities. businesswire.com
 

Coronavirus Update

Coronavirus could impact 5 million companies worldwide, new research shows

Impacted Chinese provinces are intricately linked to the global business network

The new coronavirus outbreak and subsequent shutdown of huge swathes of China could impact more than 5 million businesses worldwide, according to a new study.

A special briefing issued by global data analytics firm Dun & Bradstreet analyzed the Chinese provinces most impacted by the virus, and found they are intricately linked to the global business network.

The affected areas with 100 or more confirmed cases as of February 5 are home to more than 90% of all active businesses in China, according to the report, and around 49,000 businesses in these regions are branches and subsidiaries of foreign companies.

Almost half (49%) of the companies with subsidiaries in impacted regions are headquartered in Hong Kong, while the U.S. accounts for 19%, Japan 12% and Germany 5%.

As of Monday, over 70,000 cases of the virus have been confirmed in China, resulting in 1,770 deaths, according to the Chinese National Health Commission.

Dun & Bradstreet researchers found that at least 51,000 companies worldwide, 163 of which are in the Fortune 1000, have one or more direct or "tier 1" suppliers in the impacted region, while at least 5 million - and 938 in the Fortune 1000 - have one or more "tier 2″ suppliers. cnbc.com

Federal OSHA Releases Guidance on 2019 Novel Coronavirus for Employers
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released guidance for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov). OSHA notes that measures for protecting works depends on the "the type of work being performed and exposure risk, including potential for interaction with infectious people and contamination of the work environment." OSHA recommends that employers "adapt infection control strategies based on a thorough hazard assessment." natlawreview.com

Apple says the coronavirus will cause it to miss its revenue goals
Apple on Monday warned that it expects to fall short of revenue goals in the current quarter because of the coronavirus outbreak, underscoring the far-reaching effects of the public health crisis on the global economy.

In a statement to investors, Apple said that while factories in China were reopening, iPhone production in the country was ramping up more slowly than expected.

Demand for Apple products has also dampened in China, where all the company's stores and many of its partner stores have shuttered, according to the statement. The stores that have remained open were operating on reduced hours "with very low customer traffic," Apple said. washingtonpost.com

Shuttered Stores, Fewer Tourists: Luxury Retail Feels Coronavirus Effects
Chinese tourists normally flock to Bond Street, home to some of the most expensive retail space in the world. They gather behind the velvet ropes outside the Gucci store or emerge from the flagship boutiques of Chanel and Louis Vuitton with stuffed shopping bags.

This week, however, there were next to none. The scene was replicated on the shopping boulevards of Paris, in the malls of Dubai and on the streets of Hong Kong. The coronavirus has caused the quarantine of more than 50 million people in China, and travel and visa restrictions to more than 70 countries. Alongside widespread shutdowns of stores and malls in China, it has taken a heavy toll on the global luxury goods sector, long dependent on the spending of Chinese shoppers at home and abroad.

Some fear that the sector could be facing its worst crisis since the global financial meltdown of 2008. nytimes.com

Walmart Says It's Not Lowering Forecast Because of Coronavirus

Coronavirus could be knockout blow for Hong Kong's once-thriving tourism, retail sectors
 

Former CFO Gets 48 Months Prison for Embezzling $4M from The Boyd Group
After setting himself up as a sham vendor, Vonderahe issued approximately 500 company checks to himself during that period of time, totaling approximately 3.8 million dollars, without the knowledge or authority of the company's ownership. The Boyd Group, which owns real estate and operates stores that include The Bedroom Store, Boyd Sleep and Accent Furniture. From 2012 through January, Vonderahe issued about 500 company checks to himself, falsifying records to hide the thefts. He used the money for gambling, travel and other expenses. justice.gov

Is Your Business Ready for Kari's Law?
Companies that use multiline telephone systems (MLTSs) installed or manufactured after Feb. 16 - the 52nd anniversary of the first 911 call made in the U.S. - must comply with a new regulation for calls made to emergency services. "HR and IT need to make sure they are up to speed and that everyone knows about it," he said. shrm.org

Commerce Dept: January Retail Sales Up 4% YoY
Retail trade sales were up 4% in January year over year, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Commerce Department. Total sales for December were revised down, with estimates now showing 0.2% growth.

Year over year, department store sales fell 3.9%, electronics sales fell 2.9%, a category made up of sporting goods, hobby and musical instruments fell 1.5%, and clothing store sales declined 0.7%. Meanwhile, sales at non-store retailers were up 7%, general merchandisers' sales were up 3.3%, and furniture store sales were up 2%. retaildive.com

Latest Front in Food Delivery: 'Ghost Kitchens' in Empty Malls
Property developers are building kitchens in empty mall space and parking lots to fill food-delivery orders, a new approach in the fast-growing business of shuttling meals to customers.

The plan to make restaurant food for delivery in former retail space melds two industries that have been upended by e-commerce. Restaurants are struggling to find a cost-effective formula for meeting the growing demand for delivery of online food orders.

Meanwhile, developers say "ghost" kitchens can create new interest in retail and warehouse space vacated by merchants that have struggled to compete with e-commerce. wsj.com

The Battle for Brand Value: Why Restaurants are Rejecting Third-Party Delivery
America's big restaurant chains are retreating from third-party deliverers like GrubHub and Uber Eats - even though they helped to spike industry revenues by up to 20% annually.

Chains like Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse say that the delivery services typically shrink profit margins on orders, as well as reduce food quality when orders encounter traffic, and encourage diners to stay home and eat in - diminishing lucrative bar orders. As convenience drives dining decisions, restaurants are now seeking a middle ground, often relying on pick-up orders to reel in customers. fsrmagazine.com

A First Peek Inside Amazon's New Grocery Store Concept in Los Angeles

The e-commerce giant's facility in the Woodland Hills neighborhood looks remarkably similar to a conventional supermarket.

The $800 billion grocery industry is keeping a sharp eye on a strip mall in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, sandwiched between a nail salon and a bank branch, Amazon.com Inc. is working on the first in a new chain of grocery stores set to open this year.

The company has kept construction inside the store firmly under wraps, and, until now, no one has peeked in on Amazon's latest plan to upend how food is sold. Based on never-before-seen photos of the facility, as well as planning documents filed with the city, the store looks remarkably conventional - with a few Amazon-style flourishes.

At the center of the store, long aisles of conventional-looking shelves appear to carry the digital tags that the company uses in its Amazon Books and 4-Star stores, which let the retailer quickly circulate inventory and change prices. But Amazon has said the new supermarket will not be equipped with the cashierless system from its Go convenience stores.

There is at least one quintessentially Amazonian touch, and a sign that the company may try to use the chain to stitch together physical and digital shopping. Near the entrance, underneath a bright orange wall and Amazon smile logo, is a window for order pickup and customer returns. bloomberg.com

Walmart employees say they're preparing for job cuts
as retailer rolls out its 'Great Workplace' program
Walmart last spring said it was testing a sweeping overhaul that would make its stores better run and create more opportunities for employees to "do meaningful work." The "Great Workplace" initiative, the retailer said, would be "the key to winning the future of retail." But nearly a year in, workers say the effort, which will reach 1,100 of the company's 5,300 U.S. stores by year end, has led to widespread confusion.

Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, is telling employees that it is doing away with certain positions - including hourly supervisors and assistant store managers - and replacing them with a smaller set of roles that carry more responsibilities, often for the same pay, according to interviews with current and former store employees, and internal documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Workers say they are being asked to apply, interview and test for new positions, essentially pitting them against their colleagues for a shrinking number of jobs. Some are terrified they will lose their job and insurance. washingtonpost.com

3 Employment Screening Trends to Know Before You Hire in 2020

Screening Tech Will Come Under the Spotlight

Compliance will be front and center for organizations that conduct pre-employment background checks in 2020. Experts believe that the number of class-action lawsuits brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) for technical errors will increase; more states and cities will pass ban-the-box laws, salary-history bans and marijuana screening limitations; and federal and state regulators will direct more scrutiny toward the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the screening process. shrm.org
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Senior Manager, Asset Protection - Home Depot - Atlanta, GA
The Senior Manager, Asset Protection is responsible for the implementation of all Asset Protection functions within all Supply Chain platforms. Specific functional responsibilities include: manage multiple short term and long term projects with cross functional teams, design and implement physical security systems in all Supply Chain platforms, mitigate internal and external theft/fraud activities through controlled programs and processes. homedepot.com
 

Arrest made in $500k worth of stolen electronics being sold on eBay

IBM Exits RSA Conference 2020 Over Coronavirus Worries

8 RSA Sponsors Withdraw; Some Attendees Have Already Canceled

IBM has withdrawn as a sponsor for next week's RSA Conference 2020 as worries over the coronavirus outbreak continue. Will other organizations and individuals follow suit?

The moves are ironic for the information security field, given the efforts security professionals and vendors have made to eradicate and contain computer viruses. But of course the new coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, first discovered in China, is a real-world, major potential health risk. As of Sunday, more than 71,000 individuals have been infected by the virus, and the death toll stands at 1,775, including five people outside China, according to a Sunday update issued by the World Health Organization.

"RSA Conference is still planning to proceed as scheduled." govinfosecurity.com

CISOs' Short Tenures Can Hamper Cyber Defenses

Security chiefs stay less than three years, compared with nearly seven years for CEOs

CISOs, on average, have less than three years to make a mark. Some chief information security officers jump to companies that offer better salaries for experienced cyber leaders. Others are pressured to leave after data breaches. Either way, experts say, such short stints can hinder firms from building strong cybersecurity defenses.

Many companies are hiring a CISO for the first time and aren't sure what they want from the person who takes the job, says Brett Wahlin, who last year joined Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime Video as CISO.

The chance to build a cybersecurity program from scratch is attractive but roadblocks can soon emerge in getting approval for hiring and for technology purchases, said Mr. Wahlin, who was the first CISO at Staples Inc., in 2017-18, and at Sony Network Entertainment, in 2011-13.

It can take a new CISO about six months to assess existing security and define plans for change, then three to five years to roll out a full program, said Jill Knesek, chief security officer at Cheetah Digital, a Chicago-based marketing software company. If the CISO leaves before then, work can fall through the cracks, leaving vulnerabilities, she said.

"High turnover in this position can result in a company never getting a successful security program fully implemented," wsj.com

Third-Party Breaches - and the Number of Records Exposed -
Increased Sharply in 2019
In a recent analysis of data pertaining to security breaches in 2019, Risk Based Security uncovered a sharp increase in incidents involving companies handling sensitive data for business partners and other clients. The total number of such third-party breaches hit 368 in 2019, up from 328 in 2018 and 273 in 2017 - a 35% increase in two years.

In addition, the number of records exposed in these breaches skyrocketed 273% last year, from just over 1.7 billion in 2018 to 4.8 billion in 2019. On average, some 13 million records were exposed in each third-party breach in 2019, making it easily the worst year ever on record, according to the analysis. Data exposed in these breaches ran the gamut, including names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers, credit card numbers, email addresses, and financial data.

Risk Based Security counted a total of 7,098 data breaches in 2019 - a relatively modest increase of 1% over 2018's 7,035 publicly disclosed data breaches. The breaches in total exposed a staggering 15.1 billion records, which included everything from relatively innocuous transaction logs to PII, financial data, and health records. darkreading.com

IoT Security Threats in Retail: How Do We Eliminate Them?