Marketing

For the second month in a row Target’s same-store sales were nearly double the expected amount and the company increased its first quarter guidance as a result.

Same-store sales increased 7.3%, with half of the increase driven by growth in average transaction size combined with an increase in comparable-store transactions. Overall comparable-store sales in March 2011 decreased 5.5%.

UNION, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond continues to dominate the home and housewares space and reported another quarter of impressive sales and earnings growth.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. has appointed Leveraged Marketing Corp. of America as its exclusive global licensing agent as it looks to capitalize on, and ways to sell, its signature Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands outside its own stores.

Sears said it will work closely with Leveraged Marketing to identify, evaluate and manage licensing opportunities around the world.

Peterborough, N.H. -- Eastern Mountain Sports announced plans to open three stores during the next three months.

The company is moving an existing location at the Plaza at Buckland Hills in Manchester, Conn., approximately 12 storefronts down into a new, 18,831-sq.-ft. site. It also is opening a 20,442-sq.-ft. store in South Portland, Maine, and a 13,013-sq.-ft, location in North Brunswick, N.J.

Amazon wasn’t always a threat to Walmart, but as the only retailer grows and offers more of the same products as traditional mass retailers, it has become hard to ignore. This article from Businessweek examines how Amazon has influenced Walmart’s approach to online.

New York -- Lowe's is going on the offensive, and investing in a wide array of initiatives to win shoppers from rival The Home Depot.

“Everything we did [in the past] was store-centric. Today, we are all about the customer. So, it's about meeting the customer on their terms, no matter how they choose to interact with Lowe's: Whether it is in their room, at their jobsite, on the phone or on the web,” Robert Hull, CFO, Lowe’s, told Reuters.

Boston -- Amazon.com is America's most relevant retailer, followed by Target, according to Brodeur Partners’ Retail Relevance Top 10 ranking. The study asked shoppers to look at 21 of the nation's top retailers and select the "most" and "least" personally relevant retailer in four specific areas: practicality, values, sensory appeal and social appeal.

CHICAGO — Catherine Lindner, Walgreens VP retail marketing, has been named vice chair of the Network of Executive Women, the association announced Tuesday. Under the NEW's bylaws, Lindner will assume the post of board chair when the term of the current board chair — Walmart SVP home Michelle Gloeckler — expires in October 2012.