Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

No one disputes the philosophy that every day low prices enabled Walmart to achieve dramatic growth, but pricing studies continue to reveal a marketplace where price separation relative to competitors has become difficult to achieve.

When Walmart executives speak about prices, inflation or the nation’s economic condition their comments create quite a stir, and that’s what we saw again this week when Bill Simon spoke to USA Today.

WASHINGTON -- The National Retail Federation announced that it welcomed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's commitment to complete final swipe fee reform regulations in time for retailers to begin offering customers discounts and other benefits this summer as scheduled.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Target announced that as part of its Earth Month celebration, it is offering customers the chance to win a "Refresh Your Nest" home makeover worth up to $50,000 with the help of LEED accredited designer Sabrina Soto, as well as hundreds of other sustainable prizes. Guests can log on to Target.com/Eco to enter the sweepstakes.

The Target.com/Eco site also features sustainable products for purchase, sustainable decorating tips from Soto and coupons for use at Target stores.

Even though Target’s efforts in the electronics area have been overshadowed of late by all the action in food and consumables, the company has consistently positioned itself to become a more relevant player in the space. The most recent example involves expansion of a trade-in program that coincides with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS hand-held gaming system. The product is a big deal due to some new technology that lets users experience 3D without the annoying glasses, but the product is expensive ($249), and that doesn’t included the added cost of games.

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- The Nintendo 3DS is drawing quite a buzz, and GameStop announced that it will host events at more than 3,000 of its U.S. stores around the launch of the highly anticipated gaming device.

The company is opening its stores early on March 27, the day the Nintendo 3DS becomes available. GameStop reported that 800 stores nationwide will open at 12:01 a.m. and more than 2,400 stores will open early at 9 a.m.

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Food Lion announced that one lucky MVP customer will win free groceries for a year.

Customers can scan their MVP cards once a day at the in-store coupon kiosks, and they will be entered for a chance to win free groceries. Customers also can instantly win one of more than 200,000 free national and private brand items starting today through April 19. Free items will be awarded in the form of a coupon on the customer's MVP Savings Center coupon sheet which must be redeemed on the day it is issued.

FREEPORT, Maine — L.L.Bean announced that, effective March 25, it will offer free standard shipping to all United States and Canadian.

“We tested free shipping offers with no minimum purchase for several months and the customer response was overwhelming,” said Chris McCormick, president and CEO, L.L.Bean. “Our customers want and value free shipping. It’s our opportunity to offer free shipping for all U.S. and Canadian customers with no minimum purchase, no end date, no conditions -- guaranteed.”

New York City -- Save Mart Supermarkets saved more than $8,000 on a high-efficiency LED lighting retrofit of store in Ripon, Calif., through a partnership with the EnergySmart Jobs program.

Save Mart is distinguished as one of the first participants in the federally-funded program, which is an initiative of Energy Upgrade California and is administered by PECI, San Francisco. It focuses on creating new jobs through the implementation of energy-saving upgrades that help commercial retailers lower their operating costs.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Consumer electronics become outdated almost as soon as the public learns about them, so electronics trade-in services, such as the one offered by Target, help consumers stay on top of the latest trends without having to have a pile of old cell phones collecting dust in their homes. Target Wednesday announced that it has expanded its trade-in program to include Nintendo DS, in time for the upcoming release of the Nintendo 3DS.