Marketing

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Senior leadership within Walmart’s merchandising organization continues to undergo a transformation, as the retailer’s chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton on Friday announced another round of personnel moves.

Topeka, Kan. -- Collective Brands’ Payless ShoeSource announced that it will rebuild its tornado-demolished store in Joplin, Mo., with a new 3,100-sq.-ft. store at the same location.

Dallas -- Zale Corp. and designer Vera Wang announced they are teaming up on an exclusive line of diamond bridal jewelry.

The new Vera Wang Love collection will include diamond engagement rings, matching wedding bands and solitaire bridal jewelry. Each ring will have the Vera Wang Love logo, and every engagement ring will include a blue sapphire.

The collection will be sold only at Zale stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The jewelry will be in United States and Puerto Rico stores in October.
 

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Body Central Corp., operator of the Body Central and Body Shop retail chains, reported Friday that net income for the second quarter was $5.3 million, compared with $2.3 million in the year-ago period.

Net revenues increased 22.1% to $74.7 million, compared with $61.2 million for second quarter 2010. Same-store sales increased 14.7%.
 

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Strong private brand performance and smarter expense management helped Kohl's deliver a hefty earnings increase and respectable sales growth for its second quarter.

The company reported second quarter diluted earnings per share increased 30% to $1.09. Net income for the quarter was $303 million, compared with $260 million (84 cents per diluted share) a year ago. Net sales were $4.2 billion, an increase of 3.6% over the comparable prior year quarter. Comparable-store sales for the quarter increased 1.9%.

ROANOKE, Va. — Advance Auto Parts saw its second-quarter earnings per share jump 26% to $1.46 from $1.16 for the same period last year, as the company looks to further invest in commercial, e-commerce and DIY businesses.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Family Dollar opened its 7,000th store Thursday, further cementing the dollar-store channel as an area of rapid growth.

The store is located in Memphis, Tenn., and features a green building design and a spacious layout for an optimal shopping experience, the company reported. 

To commemorate the opening of its 7,000th store in Memphis, Family Dollar completed the celebration with the $7,000 donation to the Mid-South Food Bank, along with cans of food donated by members of the local community. 

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Parents will spend more on apparel for this school year versus last year, a new survey from Sears and BlogHer, a network of women social media leaders, revealed. 

Walmart’s policy of prohibiting employees from accepting the smallest of gratuities has been in place for a long time and for good reason. Veterans of the company will tell you that early on it was a key driver of success because there was a time when the retail industry was rife with merchants who tended to make buying decisions that were in their best interest as opposed to those of customers.

The retirement of veteran merchant John Westling was announced internally at Walmart last Friday, and in typical fashion his departure has created new opportunities for other executives as responsibilities are reallocated.