Marketing

New York City -- Target Corp. is mulling a  new pricing strategy amid increased competition from online and brick-and-mortar rivals, according to reports by the Associated Press and Dow Jones.

The reports said that Target  has sent a letter to some of its key vendors as part of a potential new strategy to bolster its competiveness. The news comes just days before J.C. Penney is scheduled to announce a major overhaul in which pricing is likely to play a key role.

Dallas -- 7-Eleven said it has completed the transaction with ExxonMobil to acquire retail interests in 51 North Texas sites. The transaction concluded Jan. 20, and terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The majority of locations will be rebranded as 7-Eleven stores.

"This acquisition fits well with our aggressive growth strategy," said Robbie Radant, 7-Eleven's new VP of mergers and acquisitions. "We met our goal of opening 650 stores in 2011, and with this acquisition 2012 is off to a great start."

Bensalem, Pa. -- Charming Shopped announced that Bryan Q. Eshelman has been promoted to executive VP -- chief supply chain officer, effective immediately.

Eshelman joined Charming Shoppes in 2010 as senior VP -- operations, with responsibility for technology, logistics, technical design and quality assurance. He has led a number of key initiatives relating to Charming Shoppes' IT systems transformation and multi-faceted supply chain strategies.

Dallas -- PeopleAnswers and Canada-based Town Shoes, which sells under Town Shoes and The Shoe Company, announced a software licensing agreement for the retailer to use the PeopleAnswers’ human-relations solution in its 124 stores across Canada for pre-employment screening and employee selection.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway announced that Tom Keller, president of the company's Vons Division, will retire after more than 40 years of  service in the food industry, effective Feb. 1.

Gary Rocheleau, currently VP, retail merchandising execution, will lead Vons on an interim basis.

Salisbury, N.C. -- Bottom Dollar Food announced grand opening dates for its first 14 stores in the greater Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, markets, with its first seven stores opening on Jan. 26. Seven additional stores will open on Feb. 9.

Beaumont, Texas -- Conn’s announced that it plans to close five underperforming stores during January 2012.

“The closing of the five stores this month is a continuation of our previously communicated plan to evaluate our existing store base and close or relocate underperforming stores. Additionally, we are progressing on our plans to open five to seven new stores in fiscal 2013, in areas with compelling demographic characteristics that we believe are favorable to our business model,” commented Theodore Wright, the company’s CEO.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced a series of  management changes that include an unexpected change in leadership at Sam’s Club, and a new chief information officer. The retailer said Sam's Club president and CEO Brian Cornell, 52, is resigning so that he and his wife can move back to the Northeast for family reasons. His departure comes as Sam’s has experienced strong sales growth.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. announced Thursday that Tom Wyatt, president of Old Navy, will leave the chain, effective Feb. 3, 2012. The company named two senior Old Navy executives — Nancy Green, executive VP and chief creative officer, and Tom Sands, executive VP of stores and operations — to assume his duties while a search is held for a permanent replacement.

Wyatt, 56, was appointed president of Old Navy in 2008. He is leaving the chain to become the CEO of Portland, Ore.-based childhood education company Knowledge Universe.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples announced that it is offering small business owners the chance to win up to $50,000 in free television advertising in their home market through its “Give Your Small Business the Push It Needs” contest.