Apple, Inc.

Seattle -- Retail companies are more able and willing to reinvest in their businesses, as evidenced by sharp increases in 2012 capital expenditure budgets, according to a new white paper released by Colliers International.

New York — Walmart topped the list retailers on the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands, according to a study commissioned by WPP Group and conducted by Millward Brown Optimor.

The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study identifies and ranks the world's most valuable 100 brands by their dollar value, an analysis based on financial data combined with consumer measures of brand equity.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Amazon continues to set the bar higher, achieving the highest rating on the annual Top 100 E-Retail Satisfaction Index by customer experience analytics firm ForeSee. Amazon outdid its 2011 score, climbing three points to 89, and four points higher than the second highest scoring websites, Apple.com (85) and QVC.com (85). (Scores of 80 or higher on ForeSee's 100-point scale are considered superior customer satisfaction performances.)

New York -- Microsoft Corp. will open a store in Bridgewater Commons, Bridgewater, N.J., on May 16. The store will be located on the mall’s second level, close to the existing Apple store.

The computer giant is also moving into Massachusetts, with a store in Boston. The opening date has not been announced.

We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be opening a new Microsoft Store at The Shops at Prudential Center in Boston!,” the company wrote on its Facebook page and website.
 

ARMONK, N.Y. — Mobile commerce increased more than 13% in the first quarter of 2012, according to IBM's first retail economic indicator, a cloud-based analytics report, which examines the state of the online retail sector.

The increase in mobile commerce sales, along with improved consumer attitudes toward the digital buying experience, indicate that consumers will be shopping more with their smartphones and other mobile devices in the near future.

Other highlights of the report include:
 

On Monday, Barnes & Noble Inc. and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership in a new unnamed Barnes & Noble subsidiary that, for the time being, is being identified as Newco. Here some comments from retail consultant Maggie Gilliam (Gilliam Insights) on the new venture:

Retailers are in business to sell products customers want, except when they’re not, which appears to be the case with the retailer’s decision to stop selling Amazon.com’s hugely popular Kindle devices.

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS/pharmacy said Tuesday it has introduced an updated mobile app that allows shoppers to digitally store their ExtraCare card in their smartphone, eliminating the need to carry an ExtraCare card when shopping.

The CVS mobile app now allows members to scan the barcode on the back of their card or type in their account number manually. After the barcode is captured, customers' smartphones will work just like ExtraCare cards at the register.