STORES Magazine - April 2008 - (Page 106)

INSIDE TRACK Compiled by Anastasia Van Engelen NRFnews ORC Training for Mall Security NRF and the International Council of Shopping Centers released an organized retail crime training video for security and retail staff last month at the ICSC Security Conference. Retailers and shopping centers across the country are dealing with serious financial losses and security issues due to groups of highly trained professional shoplifters. According to NRF’s 2007 ORC survey, 79 percent of retailers have been victims of ORC, and the FBI states that ORC costs the retail industry $30 billion each year. The video includes typical ORC ring behavior, in addition to descriptions of common methods of operation. The tips outlined in the video include: the quantity of merchandise gang members steal, the tools used to defeat the security sensors and tags, cell phone communication and other behavioral tendencies. For more information, please contact Angelica Rodriguez at rodrigueza@nrf.com. & WHO WHAT WHEN MasterCard do not disclose the fee on monthly statements and keep merchants from disclosing it on receipts. Furthermore, Visa and MasterCard effectively require merchants to pass the fees on to consumers by requiring them to be included in the advertised price of items, making cash discounts difficult. The average U.S. household pays about $350 in interchange fees each year. Shop.org Unveils Redesigned Website SHOP.ORG launched its interactive website this month. The site, www.shop.org, contains a members-only community where users can personalize profile pages and network with other Shop.org members. The site will serve as a prototype for enhancements to www.nrf.com and the websites of other NRF divisions. Interchange Legislation Introduced NRF, which has been leading the retail industry’s fight against soaring interchange costs, welcomes the recent introduction of antitrust legislation that would address hidden MasterCard and Visa fees. These fees cost merchants and their customers more than $40 billion a year. The Credit Card Fair Fee Act, introduced by House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.), is the first attempt by Congress to address credit card interchange fees. The bill follows 2007 testimony by NRF senior vice president Mallory Duncan, who told the committee’s Antitrust Task Force that interchange practices violate federal antitrust law. Visa and MasterCard banks charge merchants an interchange fee every time a credit card or signature debit card is used. The fee averages close to 2 percent; in 2007, Visa and MasterCard collected nearly $42 billion in fees — an increase of 17 percent from 2006. Interchange is largely unknown to most consumers, as Visa and 106 STORES / APRIL 2008 A survey of Shop.org members found that they wanted better access to content, industry relevant information and better networking opportunities. The redesigned website provides all of this in a new layout that makes it easier to find content, mentors, discussion groups, colleague bios and other contact information. Social networking sites continue to grow in popularity, and Shop.org has tapped into this trend to allow online retailers to network within their own community. Members have the opportunity to create a personal profile to communicate with colleagues, network and post jobs; within the “my shop.org” section, members can also network professionally. There is even an instant message (IM) feature that allows immediate and direct communication with like-minded colleagues. Shop.org will continue to refine the site’s features and functionality based on usage and member input. WWW.STORES.ORG http://Shop.org http://SHOP.ORG http://Shop.org http://www.nrf.com http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://WWW.STORES.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of STORES Magazine - April 2008

STORES Magazine - April 2008 Contents Executive Editor's Page President's Page More Retailers Bagging Monthly Comp-Store Reports Time-Warner Center's Economy-Defying Results What Shoppers Think 10 Things You May Have Missed Numbers Worth Counting Full Price/Markdown Retail People Eating Locally Grocery Concept2Watch Restaurants Online Services Marketing Human Resources Product Lifecycle Management E-Commerce: Peer Reviews Drive Online Buyers Kiosks Recycling Operations Payment Systems POS Logistics E-Commerce: Getting Personal Website Management LOEB Retail Letter Arts Update Point of View NRF News Retail Industry Calendar Last Laugh

STORES Magazine - April 2008

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