Retail Roundup: Adrenalina Withdraws PacSun Offer, Macy's Open 24 Hours A Day, More

Adrenalina withdraws PacSun offer -- Apparel retailer Adrenalina withdrew its buyout offer for Pacific Sunwear of California on Dec. 15 because of the recent fall in the company's share price. Adrenalina, now a shareholder of PacSun, still seeks to eventually acquire its larger rival and may take its buyout proposal directly to PacSun shareholders. "Shareholder value at PacSun has continued to deteriorate at staggering levels over the past month," said Adrenalina CEO Ilia Lekach in a Nov. 20 letter to PacSun CEO Sally Kasaks. Shares of PacSun, a 1000-store chain, have lost 89 percent of their market value since last December. [Source: Reuters]

Select Macy's stores to stay open 24 hours a day for last days of holiday season -- Chicago-area consumers have limited options for places to go at 3 a.m.: 24-hour convenience stores, diners open all night, and ... Macy's? Indeed, Macy's Inc. plans to keep 13 stores open 24-hours-a-day from 6 a.m. Dec. 20 to 6 p.m. Dec. 24 -- participating stores are located in Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The 108-hour-shopping-marathon concept was tested at several Macy's stores last year, but the company decided to expand the idea this year in light of the dreary shopping season. [Source: istockanalyst.com]

Undercover reporter claims working conditions are harsh at Amazon warehouse -- The Web's biggest retailer, Amazon.com, is playing defense after an undercover journalist who worked for a week at a U.K. Amazon facility reported that warehouse employees toil under harsh conditions. The Sunday Times reporter claimed workers are given short breaks as they juggle heavy work loads and are threatened with dismissal for being sick. The Amazon subsidiary rebutted, saying, "Every single member of the Amazon.co.uk workforce ... is currently working flat out to ensure that our millions of customers receive the products that they have ordered on time this Christmas. Our No. 1 focus is our customers, and everyone at Amazon works hard on their behalf." The retailer further noted that an employee council voted to reduce break times to cut a half-hour off the workday. [Source: internetretailer]

Staples focusing on in-store marketing -- Staples plans to push in-store marketing next year thanks to a partnership between the office-supplies retailer and consumer marketing company News America Marketing. More than 1,500 Staples locations across the nation will soon be equipped with coupon machines, floor ads, and sampling programs. "We hope it helps our customers learn more about featured products and calls attention to the great deals we offer throughout the store," said Vinnie Servello, vice president of retail store promotions for Staples. [Source: brandweek]