German manufacturer Bosch is making smart-home technology a top priority. Beginning on Jan. 1, the newly founded subsidiary Robert Bosch Smart Home GmbH will bring together the company’s smart home activities. The company will create a single mobile application that …
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Ace Outranks Big Boxes as a Happy Workplace
Three home improvement retailers ranked in the top 10 of “Happiest Retail Employers,” a list generated based on employee reviews of the companies. Ace Hardware is No. 2 on the list from CareerBliss, which is a website focused on helping employees find greater satisfaction …
Read More »Big-Box Retailers Settle on Data Breaches
For big-box retailers Target and Home Depot, their widely publicized data breaches continue to be a topic of discussion, and both are coming to agreements to pay for the costly hacks to consumers’ information. Target will pay about $39 million to …
Read More »Study: Consumer Confidence Will Bolster Holiday Sales
The holiday shopping season is already in high gear, and it looks like consumer confidence will translate to higher holiday sales this year, according to a study by Synchrony Financial. The study found that of the consumers surveyed, 47 percent are …
Read More »151 Million People Shopped Thanksgiving Weekend
Thanksgiving weekend proved busy for retail, as millions of consumers shopped in stores and online. While Black Friday doesn’t necessarily garner the same frenzy from consumers it once did, the weekend still brought millions out to score deals and discounts, according to The Washington Post. …
Read More »Companies From U.S., Canada to Attend 2016 International Hardware Fair
All eyes will soon be on Cologne, Germany, again—four months from now, over 2,700 suppliers from 50 countries will showcase their hardware and DIY products at the EISENWARENMESSE International Hardware Fair (IHF). The show will take place March 6-8, 2016, in …
Read More »Health Insurance Expert Answers Questions
How are health insurance rates established? Is an employer required to make a contribution to a medical plan on behalf of their employees? Store owners know that health insurance can be tricky. As the year comes to a close and …
Read More »Manufacturers and Distributors Plan for 2016
An annual conference brought together more than 400 of the nation’s top suppliers and distributors that serve the independent home improvement industry. The 2016 Executive Planning Conference, hosted by Charlotte-based Distribution America (DA) and Denver-based PRO Group, was held Nov. 17-19 in …
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