Winter Holidays

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it is helping ensure customers pay the lowest price on holiday gifts with the launch of its Christmas price guarantee.

Customers who purchase eligible products at Walmart anytime between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25, and then find those same products advertised for less at another store, will receive a Walmart gift card for the difference through Dec. 25. 

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings announced that it is offering free shipping from Oct. 30 through Dec. 19 at Sears.com and Kmart.com. In addition, the company is offering free same-day store pick up. 

Free shipping applies to qualified mailable orders of more than $99 on Sears.com and $49 on Kmart.com or mygofer.com. To receive the savings, customers must enter the promo code SHIPREALJOY on Sears.com, HOLIDAY on Kmart.com and JINGLE49 on mygofer.com.

Target is facing new holiday pricing pressure as Walmart announced the launch of its Christmas price guarantee.

Customers who purchase eligible products at Walmart anytime between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25, and then find those same products advertised for less at another store, will receive a Walmart gift card for the difference through Dec. 25. 

One thing retailers learn, some of them the hard way, is to take no competitor lightly. Consider the case of Dollar General and a toy promotion it is running for the holidays.

Medford, Ore. -- Harry & David Holdings has named Craig Johnson as its CEO.

Johnson most recently served as chief supply chain officer of Guitar Center. Prior to that, he was CEO of Musician's Friend, a Guitar Center subsidiary. He has also held positions at Oriental Trading Co., Golfsmith International Holdings, and Coldwater Creek.

The company exited Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection last month.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced it will offer free shipping on Sears.com for orders qualified orders totaling more than $99, and on Kmart.com for orders more than $49. The chain is also offering free same-day store pick-up services.

The free shipping offer will begin on Oct. 30 and run through Dec. 19.

 

Los Angeles -- Fifty-two percent of consumers plan to spend $500 or more on gifts this season, according to a new survey by PriceGrabber, a part of Experian. Thirty-six percent said they will spend less than $500, and 12% indicated that they do not have a budget.

Other key findings of the survey, conducted from Sept. 7-15, 2011, include:

Consumers overwhelmingly chose clothing as the most popular holiday gift purchase (chosen by 66%), followed by gift cards (52%), books, CDs, DVDs or videogames (46%) and toys (43%).

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart on Monday said it will offer shoppers gift cards if they buy items and then see lower prices at other stores during the holiday season.

The chain’s "Christmas Price Guarantee" will apply to good purchased Walmart stores in the United States from Nov. 1 to Dec. 25. Under the program, shoppers who buy a product at Walmart and then find the identical item listed for a lower price at another store can receive a gift card for the difference.