Winter Holidays

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. will introduce QR codes in stores in time for the holiday shopping season. Beginning Oct. 14, each of the chain’s Top 20 toys will have a QR code that shoppers can scan with their mobile device, allowing them to purchase the toy directly and ship it for free to anyone, anywhere in the U.S. The toys will be promoted with signs featuring the QR codes.

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — Teen retailer Wet Seal continues to urge its shareholders to reject efforts by Clinton Group to replace the company’s current experienced directors with Clinton Group’s hand-picked nominees who lack relevant experience.

New York -- The Wet Seal Inc. encouraged its shareholders on Wednesday to reject efforts by its third-largest investor, Clinton Group, to gain control of the board, Reuters reported. The company's board has eight seats, of which one is vacant.

Clinton, which holds approximately 7% of Wet Seal, said retailer earlier in the day backtracked on an offer, made via an investment banker, for four directors to resign in exchange for the activist investor ending its move, according to the report.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is extending its fuel savings program will continue through the holiday, providing Meijer credit card customers with a 10 cent per gallon discount on fuel during the busy travel season.

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer's discount program is available at all 180 Meijer gas stations and will run through Jan. 5.

Layaway program have become all the rage the past few years as retailers seeks to offer shoppers every conceivable convenience to capture every available sales dollar.

Target this week entered the seasonal fray dominated so far by Walmart and Toys "R" Us attempting to outdo one another with announcements about their layaway offers, product reservation programs and top toy lists.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday that its namesake and Kmart stores will offer ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

The new service, which comes at a time when many major retailers are amping up shopper-centric programs for the holiday selling season, is also available on store kiosks, said Sears, enabling customers to bypass the layaway line and select, purchase and have items delivered directly to their homes.

Both retailers will launch the service on Nov. 7.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings is now offering its Kmart and Sears customers the option of ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

The new service – also available on store kiosks now enables shoppers to select, purchase and have the items delivered directly to their homes, bypassing the layaway line altogether. Both retailers will begin the exclusive layaway ship-to-home service starting Nov. 7.