Events

Boston – During the next three years, 250% more retailers are transitioning to a single order management solution (OMS) to support a unified commerce experience across all channels, according to a new special report by Boston Retail Partners. The study, “Order Management is the New POS,” explains how many retailers are planning to adopt a single order management system and the numerous benefits it presents to improve operations and enhance the customer experience.
 

In a break from tradition, Walmart is hosting an investor meeting in New York on April 1 with the new team of top executives who are driving the latest round of changes at the retailer’s U.S. business.

A 90 minutes session scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EST on April 1 at the New York Stock Exchange will be hosted by Walmart U.S. President and CEO Greg Foran.

On the eve of its next fundraising campaign, Publix is celebrating 20 years of raising more than $51 million for the March of Dimes.

To support more breakthroughs for babies, the grocery giant will ask its customers to join them in their annual fundraising drive from April 6-26. The register campaign coincides with March for Babies, the March of Dimes signature event, which occurs on April 25 in most areas. Associates will sell the cutouts at the checkout and ask customers to sign their name or the name of a baby they love.

At the recent GlobalShop show in Las Vegas two trade groups serving the visual merchandising industry said their boards voted to pursue a merger agreement.

The boards of directors of the Association for Retail Environments (ARE) and the Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) voted to enter a due diligence phase and work in good faith toward a definitive agreement to merge the two associations.

Barnes & Noble is launching a Twitter giveaway to promote its famous in-store Storytimes.

The bookseller announced that its April lineup of free Storytime events includes a Picture Book of the Month selection, as well as a Twitter giveaway to encourage parents and children to attend.

Belk’s efforts on community involvement received a boost in 2015, as the company reported that it donated more than $21.5 million to local communities last year.

Of the total amount, Belk corporate dollars funded $6.1 million to more than 250 nonprofit organizations, with a focus on education, breast cancer research and awareness, and community strengthening, the company said. The remainder of the funding includes associate, vendor and customer dollars raised in Belk-led charitable events, including the Belk Charity Sale.

New York -- Thor Equities has signed a contract to acquire a prime retail and office property at 102 Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris. “102 Avenue des Champs-Elysees is at the center of one of the most desirable locations in the world, just blocks from the Arc de Triomphe and Place Charles de Gaulle,” said Joseph Sitt, CEO of Thor Equities.  “We continue to believe strongly in the Paris retail market, in particular prime shopping and tourist destinations such as the Champs-Elysees and Boulevard Haussmann.”
 

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) recently conducted a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to simplify the process of selling to the major retailer.

Working with the American Logistics Association, AAFES participated in the trade group’s 2015 Exchange Impact Workshop in Dallas. Led by AAFES Chief Merchandising Officer Ana Middleton, she and more than 50 AAFES representatives detailed the Exchanges’ go to market strategy to an audience comprised of manufacturers, brokers, distributors, and service providers.