Marketing Tactics

The Walmart Visitor Center in downtown Bentonville is set to reopen on May 21 after undergoing extensive renovations, which means the new facility will be able to accommodate the thousands of Walmart employees who will descend on the town for the company’s annual meeting on June 3.

Warrendale, Pa. -- Apparel retailer Rue21 announced the opening of its 500th etc! store, in Franklin Mills, Pa. The etc! format was introduced five years ago to highlight the company's expanded accessories category, and has since been incorporated into all new Rue21 stores and remodels.

The five categories of etc! -- footwear, fragrance/beauty, accessories, jewelry, and the area brand of intimate apparel and sleepwear -- are merchandised together in approximately 1,000 sq. ft. within Rue21 stores and have been important in driving incremental sales.

The most recent pricing survey from the equity research team at Credit Suisse shows that Walmart is either 3.1% cheaper than Target or 1.9% more expensive. The firm compared prices at stores in the Dallas and Chicago markets, as it does every month, and during March discovered the gap between the two competitors narrowed considerably.

“Target’s price gap with Walmart tightened from 4.2% in February to 3.1%,” according to the firm. “Target’s basket price decreased sequentially by 0.8% compared with Walmart’s 0.3% increase.”

Walmart.com EVP Steve Nave and online grocer Peapod’s COO Mike Brennan are slated to share the stage at Nielsen’s upcoming Consumer 360 conference in Orlando June 20 to 22 during a session moderated by Adam Lashinsky, Fortune’s editor-at-large.

PASADENA, Calif. -- Disney Store has announced the launch of an exclusive collection from designer Kidada Jones. 

Lubbock, Texas -- United Supermarkets officially entered the convenience market on Wednesday with the opening of its first United Express location, in Lubbock, Texas. It is the company’s first standalone convenience store.

The location includes a six-pump fuel station and will feature fresh offerings along with the traditional items guests would expect to find at a convenience store.

SEATTLE -- Amazon.com continues to grow beyond its origins as an online bookstore and is now expanding its apparel offerings with the launch of a new membership-only website, Myhabit.com.

According to the company, the website, of which member ship is free, will offer up to 60% off hand-picked styles from the most sought after brands. Other features of the site include free shipping and returns, upscale photography and 360-degree views of the clothing on live models.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Mars Chocolate North America has boosted its Dove and 3 Musketeers brands, the company announced.

Mars Chocolate recently sweetened up the ice cream aisle with new DoveBar peanut butter swirl ice cream with milk chocolate. The ice cream bar, which now is available in stores, retails for $4.09 per three-pack.