Strategy

Washington, D.C. — Walmart, along with the Women's Business Enterprise National Council and WEConnect International, on Wednesday joined forces to establish a unique logo for retail packaging of products from women-owned businesses. The new logo will bring consumer recognition of products provided by women-owned businesses on store shelves both in the U.S. and international markets. 

Dedham, Mass. - Reflexis Systems Inc. today announced the appointment of Brett Friedman as senior VP of global sales and marketing. He will be responsible for expanding the Reflexis global sales team and building upon the company’s growth.

Friedman brings 15 years of sales and marketing experience and joins Reflexis from Infor, where he had global revenue responsibility for supply chain and PLM solutions. Prior to Infor, he was senior VP of global sales at Allegro Development and has also held leadership positions at SAP and i2 Technologies.

Crowdsourced grocery delivery provider Instacart is already putting the $44 million in funding from big name Silicon Valley investors that it received a little more than a week ago to good use. The company has this week launched its one-hour grocery delivery service in Denver and Atlanta.

Minneapolis – Best Buy Inc. is reportedly considering selling off its Chinese business or finding a partner to help operate it. According to the Wall Street Journal, Best Buy is working with Bank of America Merrill Lynch to examine its options in China.

The Barnes & Noble board has given the company the green light to separate its retail and Nook Media businesses to optimize shareholder value.

The company anticipates completing the separation of the businesses into two separate public companies by the end of the first quarter next year.

New York - Barnes & Noble Inc. plans to spin off its Nook e-reader unit as a separately traded public company from its retail operation by the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The retailer made this decision as its consolidated net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 shrank from $114.8 million to $36.7 million, missing Wall Street estimates.

Toronto – New research from loyalty currency management provider Points shows that offering points and miles for everyday purchases is the most effective means of driving consumer loyalty. Points surveyed more than 1,500 loyalty program members from across North America and found that 83% earn points and miles on everyday purchases.

Oak Brook, Ill. — Inland Diversified Real Estate Trust stockholders have voted overwhelmingly to approve the previously announced merger with Kite Realty Group Trust. Assuming all conditions to closing the merger have been satisfied, it is expected to close on or after July 1, 2014.