Marketing

Mexico City -- Wal-Mart Stores’ Mexico subsidiary said Wednesday that new store openings for 2012 will be cut from the originally planned 410 to 430 stores to 325 to 335, due in large part to added real estate documentation procedures.

Expansion plans for new stores will be delayed by 60 to 90 days, said Wal-Mart Mexico, as the retailer institutes reinforced documentation around real estate projects. Wal-Mart Mexico has been in the throes of a bribery scandal involving alleged payments to middlemen to accelerate the store-opening process.

Economic uncertainty throughout Europe and the United States and political instability in the Middle East are putting an increased spotlight on developing markets, which are forging full-speed ahead and show no signs of slowing down, according to the 11th annual Global Retail Development Index by consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

Davenport, Iowa -- Department store retailer Von Maur said Thursday it has begun construction on an expansion of its e-commerce fulfillment center to support continued growth in its web presence.

Projected for completion in October 2012, the expansion will add an additional 73,000 sq. ft. to the company's current 46,000-sq.-ft. center in Davenport, Iowa.

Week in and week out, Walmart wins on the pricing front with the biggest unknown being the magnitude of the spread between it and competitors, several reports out this confirmed.

Deb Weinswig at Citigroup looks at prices in three U.S. markets every two weeks and her most recent assessment showed Walmart beating Kroger by 12.1%, Safeway by 17.4%, Supervalu by 20.6% and Target by 4.8%.

IRVINE, Calif. — Vizio has agreed to let Curtis International Ltd., which sells digital televisions in the United States and Canada under the Curtis brand, become a licensee under Vizio's QAM patent portfolio. The parties have not disclosed financial terms of the agreement under which Curtis has agreed to make royalty payments to Vizio for sales of licensed products.

As it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Wal-Mart Stores is being recognized for many achievements, not the least of which is its leadership in sustainability. On the green front, the chain has become a leader in best practices, with innovations that deliver positive results for consumers, communities and the company’s bottom line.

Parking lots serve as the first point of entry for customers and, as such, are an important brand touchpoint. Chain Store Age spoke with Dan Flaherty, national accounts executive, Ultimat/Crius Corp., about how retailers can maintain a positive first impression without breaking the budget.

What, if any, impact does a badly maintained retail property have on customers? Can it affect business?

Richfield, Minn. -- The interim CEO of Best Buy told shareholders Thursday that the company is committed to changing its fundamentals in order to operate closer to its potential.

Mike Mikan is trying to right the electronics retailer’s ship as it attempts to recover from the sudden – and unseemly – departure of CEO Brian Dunn as well as the ensuing resignation from chairman and founder Richard Schultz over the last two months.