OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Study: Smartphone revenue grows 141% in Q3
Petaluma, Calif. -– Revenue coming from smartphones grew 141% year-over-year during the third quarter of fiscal 2014. According to a study from e-commerce platform provider Market Live, cultural shifts in shopping habits are revealing changes in traditional metrics; for example, mobile is creating a trend toward lower conversion rates and shorter time-on-site metrics caused by more shoppers researching products on their mobile phones and completing their purchases at a later time.
Quiznos expands into Middle East, Asia
Denver -- Quiznos continues to expand its international development with growth into seven countries in Asia and the Middle East. This is the latest addition to an international development strategy to open more than 1,000 restaurants in more than 40 countries by 2020 and will widen the company footprint abroad through the help of international master franchisees.

Report: UPS expects six days busier than peak of 2013 holiday season

Atlanta –- United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) is reportedly forecasting that six days in the upcoming holiday season will be busier for shipping packages than its busiest day in the 2013 holiday season. According to Bloomberg, UPS predicts it will deliver 585 million packages in December, an 11% year-over-year increase.
RadioShack names Treasury vet as revitalization officer

Fort Worth, Texas -- Harry J. Wilson, founder and CEO of The MAEVA Group, will serve as the chief revitalization officer of RadioShack, reporting to RadioShack CEO Joe Magnacca and the RadioShack board. The MAEVA Group, a specialist in corporate restructurings, will provide advisory services to RadioShack's board of directors and management as the company moves forward with its operational and financial turnaround efforts.
PriceSmart misses on Q4 income, beats Street on revenues

San Diego –- PriceSmart Inc. reported net income of $21.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, up 5% from $20.8 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year. However, this was still beneath Wall Street expectations. However, PriceSmart beat Wall Street projections with total revenue of $622.6 million, a 5% hike from $585.4 million. The addition of two new warehouse stores, bringing the total to 33, helped boost revenues.
RadioShack offers Fix It Here at 31 Boston stores

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack's Fix It Here same-day mobile repair service is now available in 31 stores in the Boston area. Fix It Here is available in more than 550 RadioShack stores in key markets across the nation, and RadioShack plans to rollout Fix It Here to 750 locations by the end of the year.
Lowe’s to pilot robots at Orchard Supply stores during holiday season

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's Innovation Labs will introduce two autonomous retail service robots in an Orchard Supply Hardware store in midtown San Jose, Calif. during the upcoming holiday season to study how robotics technology can benefit customers and employees. Called OSHbot, the robots will assist customers to navigate stores by directing them to specific products and providing real-time information about product promotions and inventory.
Macy’s and Bloomingdale's stores to open in Abu Dhabi in 2018

Cincinnati -- Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores plan to open in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2018 as part of a strategic partnership with Al Tayer Group LLC, a UAE-based company with diversified businesses. This will be Macy’s first international store location and the second for Bloomingdale’s.
Shop.org: Retailers set earlier holiday shipping deadlines

Washington, D.C. –- Nearly eight in 10 (79%) retailers surveyed will set their standard shipping deadlines for guaranteed Christmas delivery to expire at least a week before the holiday, compared to 74% who said in the 2013 holiday season. In addition, according to Shop.org’s EHoliday survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, approximately one in five (21%) will set those deadlines to expire Dec. 19 or later, compared to more than one-quarter who said so last year (25%).
Report: Luxottica owner says return as CEO temporary

Milan, Italy –- Leonardo Del Vecchio, 79, the chairman and founder of global eyewear manufacturer/retailer Luxottica Group who assumed the role of interim CEO on Oct. 14, has reportedly sent a letter to employees reassuring them his return as CEO is temporary. According to Reuters, in the letter, Del Vecchio said he would step down and turn management over to new co-CEOs once the company’s new governance structure is consolidated.