All North America articles – Page 25
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News
Walmart begins marketing selected new brand launches
Walmart has begun marketing selected new brand launches using more experiential promotional tactics.There will be increased promotional events in Walmart parking lots and outside stores in ‘mobile brand boxes’.Initiatives could range from interactive simulators and games to pop-up demonstration areas.
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Gap to franchise Old Navy internationally
Gap will begin franchising Old Navy internationally from next year.“Over the next five years, key to our continued success will be pushing the envelope further to make shopping seamless to customers through our digital strategy, while seizing the opportunity for Old Navy in untapped international markets,” said chief executive Glenn ...
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JCPenney unveils plans to enhance financial position
Troubled department store group JCPenney has unveiled plans to enhance its financial position, having burned through $10m (£6.56m) in the fiscal year ended February 2, prompting liquidity concerns. As part of the process, the retailer has drawn $850m (£556.7m) from its $1.85bn (£1.21bn) committed revolving credit facility. Proceeds will fund ...
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Amazon to launch Appstore for Android in almost 200 countries
Amazon has revealed plans to introduce its Appstore for Android to almost 200 countries in the coming months, as it seeks to boost digital content revenue and take on rivals such as Apple and Google.Developers are being invited to submit apps for distribution in countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, South ...
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German hard discounter Aldi Süd opens nine stores in Texas
German hard discounter Aldi Süd opened nine stores in Houston, Texas last week.The retailer wants to open 30 new shops over the next two years, investing more than $125m (£81.5m) in the Houston Metro area.The launch extends Aldi’s Texan presence, which is focused on the Dallas/Fort Worth district, which it ...
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Rakuten signs up to MasterCard's new digital wallet service
Japanese ecommerce business Rakuten has signed up to MasterCard’s new digital wallet service,MasterPass, for its US site.Customers will be able to use the service to buy online or via their mobile using stored payment credentials. Those using the service will receive additional promotions to encourage repeat visits.Roger Andelin, president and ...
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JC Penney's chief executive Ron Johnson ousted
JC Penney’s chief executive, former Apple Retail boss Ron Johnson, has been ousted and replaced by his predecessor at the US department store group, Mike Ullman.In the year to January 28, JC Penney turnover plummeted 25% to $12.98bn (£8.5bn) and the retailer amassed nearly $1bn in losses.Johnson had been attempting ...
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Whole Foods Market to build commercial-scale greenhouse
Whole Foods Market is to build a commercial-scale greenhouse on top of one of its stores.The retailer will build a 20,000 sq ft rooftop greenhouse above its new store in the Gowanus neighbourhood in Brooklyn, New York. The project will be in partnership with urban greenhouse specialist Gotham Greens.Produce grown ...
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Uniqlo has work to do to meet ambitious targets
Fast Retailing’s president and chairman Tadashi Yanai has topped US magazine Forbes’ 2013 list of the 50 wealthiest people in Japan.
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OfficeMax launches small-format store
OfficeMax has launched a small-format store called OfficeMax Business Solutions Center.The initiative follows the retailer’s strategy of consolidating its big-box office supplies shops into smaller, more interactive stores.The first Business Solutions Center opened in Milwaukee. The store will offer tailored services and products, catering to the needs of small businesses. ...
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Walmart steps up to the multichannel plate
The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, has revealed it will be piloting in-store collection lockers in its home market.
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News
Department store JC Penney revives abandoned pricing strategy
Department store group JC Penney has revived the pricing strategy it had abandoned, which involves increasing prices of private label lines then discounting them as a means of improving sales and margins.The retailer began changing merchandise prices in March and will complete the process this month, according to a JC ...
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Drugstore operator CVS launches iPad app
Drugstore operator CVS has launched an iPad app that enables customers to explore a virtual 3D CVS/Pharmacy store and shop from their tablet. The app is the first of its kind and incorporates an interactive interface using gesture-based movements.Brian Tilzer, senior vice-president and chief digital officer of CVS/Pharmacy, said: “Our ...
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NewsClinton Cards owner American Greetings taken private by founding family
Clinton Cards parent company American Greetings has been taken private by its founding and controlling family in a deal estimated at $878m.
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NewsGrocer Tesco poised to exit US as Fresh & Easy sale nears completion
Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke is poised to sell its US Fresh & Easy business just four months after putting the loss-making chain under review.
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Sales rise at off-price retailer Ross Stores
Off-price retailer Ross Stores’ sales in the fourth quarter ended February 2 rose 15% to $2.76bn (£1.81bn) and like-for-likes advanced 5%. Net earnings rocketed 23% to $236.6m (£155.7m).For the full year, sales increased 13% to $9.72bn (£6.39bn) with like-for-likes climbing 6%, while net earnings soared 20% to $786.8m (£517.8m). Michael ...
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Stong performance for homewares retailer Williams-Sonoma
Homewares retailer Williams-Sonoma’s net revenues increased 8.7% to $4.04bn (£2.66bn) in the year ended February 3. Performance was driven by a 14.5% increase in direct-to-customer revenues and like-for-like growth of 6.1%.Net earnings rose 8.4% to $256.7m (£168.9m).
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Walmart to develop global ecommerce platform
Walmart is developing a global ecommerce platform called Pangea. Speaking to investors at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Consumer & Retail Conference, Walmart chief financial officer Charles Holley said: “We want to have a common global platform that can flex to the market.”The US retail giant also aims to ...
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News
Supervalu completes sale to AB Acquisition
Supervalu has completed the sale of its Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market banners.The disposal to AB Acquisition, an affiliate of an investment consortium led by Cerberus Capital Management, is a stock deal valued at $3.3bn (£2.17bn), which includes $100m (£65.8m) in cash and $3.2bn (£2.1bn) in debt assumption.
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EBay's new courier service attracts major US retailers
eBay’s new courier service, eBay Now has attracted major US retailers such as Target, Best Buy, Walgreens and Macy’s, reported Mashable.The service launched in October last year and is now available in San Francisco, New York and San Jose. The service allows shoppers to order items for same-day delivery throughout ...