Strategy

Seattle - Amazon.com continues tweaking its shipping policies. A week after offering free same-day delivery for members of its Amazon Prime loyalty program in select cities, the retailer is now offering all customers free shipping on lightweight items in a program called Fulfillment by Amazon Small and Light.

The eligible goods include cosmetics and mobile phone accessories. There is no minimum purchase requirement, and membership in Amazon Prime, which offers free shipping on all purchases, is not required.

Walmart reportedly is relaxing its dress code and raising the temperature at its stores as part of an effort to improve working conditions. 

According to a Reuters report, Walmart made the announcement to a gathering of 3,000 workers brought to Arkansas this week before the company's annual shareholders' meeting due to be held on Friday.

Fayetteville, Ark. -- Walmart U.S. on Wednesday announced that it is making a small but “significant” change to its employee name badges as part of its renewed commitment to associates.

“I'm proud to say that we're bringing back ‘Our People Make the Difference’ on our badges. These words are just as important today, and to our future, as they ever were,” said Walmart U.S. COO Judith McKenna.

CVS/pharmacy is launching a Hispanic-focused rebranding of some of its stores in South Florida, an initiative that the retailer hopes to eventually roll out nationally.

The new and remodeled stores are called CVS/pharmacy y mas. Twelve CVS/pharmacy y mas stores are now open in South Florida, including 11 remodeled CVS stores and one brand new store. They all feature a fully bilingual staff, the addition of more than 1,500 Hispanic products, more competitive pricing on hundreds of products, and new services unique to a national retail pharmacy.

Atlanta -- Von Maur Department Stores has completed the installation of a new shipping and receiving material handling system in Von Maur's distribution center in Davenport, Iowa.

Ace Hardware Corp. has promoted a 25-year employee to the position of vice president of information technology. 

St. Petersburg – HSN Inc. is partnering with the Card Services division of Alliance Data Systems Corp. (ADS) to provide private label credit card services for its Cornerstone business unit. Alliance Data will develop loyalty-driven card programs for five of Cornerstone's seven multichannel brands -- Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, Grandin Road and Improvements – each incorporating a tailored approach for their unique customer base.

Mahwah, N.J. – Ascena Retail Group Inc. fell short of Wall Street expectations for profit and revenue in a difficult third quarter of fiscal 2015. Net income fell 23% to $24.4 million, from $33.2 million in the same quarter a year earlier.