Marketing

It seems like forever that that Walmart has been describing the performance of its apparel department as “a work in progress,” but this could be the year things turn around thanks to a number of factors working in the company’s favor.

For starters, the return to basics emphasis is giving Walmart customers what they want and expect from Walmart, just as the market for apparel is enjoying strength and disruption at a competitor is creating the potential for share gains.

Walmart chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton was back in Canada earlier this week at the CIBC World Markets Retail and Consumer Conference in Toronto sharing a message of improved traction and accelerating momentum.

Retailers are now well familiar with social media as a means of engaging consumers, but may be less familiar with using this means of interactive dialogue to engage employees. And, yes, even those employees out on the sales floor. Why is employee engagement so important? Because profits are important.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General Corp. announced the opening of its 10,000 store, giving the retailer a coast-to-coast presence for the first time in its history. The location is in Merced, Calif., and is due to officially open on Saturday. It will be Dollar General’s fifth store to open in California.

“Opening the doors of our 10,000th store is a meaningful day for all of us at Dollar General, and we are excited to celebrate the occasion in California,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Hobby Lobby International has named its first female president, hobby industry veteran, Debra Love.

Love has been at Hobby Lobby since 2009 when she joined as VP IT and communications, and most recently served as executive VP.
 

HOUSTON — Stage Stores announced Michael Glazer has been appointed to the position of president and CEO on an interim basis. Glazer replaces the company’s former president and CEO, Andy Hall, who the company announced has resigned from both the company and its board of directors to pursue other interests.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — eBay has named David Marcus president of its PayPal online payment provider division, effective April 2. A member of PayPal's executive management team, Marcus, has been leading PayPal's rapidly growing mobile payments business and has driven important mobile product innovations. Reporting to eBay president and CEO John Donahoe, Marcus succeeds Scott Thompson, who left the company in January.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, the nation's second largest tax preparation firm, has been named Supplier of the Year by Walmart's financial services division. Jackson Hewitt was recognized for: its aggressive expansion into over 750 new Walmart locations for the 2012 tax season, which increased its nationwide kiosk coverage in Walmart U.S.

In honor celebration of Women's History Month, The Huffington Post's Nell Merlino has penned a column highlighting some successful businesswomen. Among them is Rosalind Brewer, who in February was named president and CEO of Sam's Club, and is the first woman, and the first African American to hold a CEO position at one of Walmart's divisions. Other women on the list include Spanx creator Sara Blakely and financial guru Suze Orman. Read the full article here.

Wal-Mart Stores is making strides across the Atlantic, as its Asda division is taking more of the grocery market share in the United Kingdom from rival Tesco.

According to a report from research firm Kantar Worldpanel, for the 12-week period ended March 18, Asda's share of the market grew to 17.9% on top of a year-over-year growth rate of 7.8%. By comparison, Tesco's growth rate of 2.7% lags behind the overall grocery market, which is growing at 4%.