Sam's Club

Digital coupon redemptions are surging — and show no sign of slowing anytime soon.

We have a tendency to take things that have been with us forever, reinvent them, and give them new names. Mixed-use centers, for instance, are essentially the 21st century version of downtowns. But whereas America’s towns grew up organically alongside harbors, rivers, and transportation crossroads, mixed-use centers aren’t always able to be so logically placed.

Walmart is stepping up its hurricane relief efforts.   The discount giant announced that it will donate up to $10 million in additional support for 2017 hurricane relief efforts in the United States, a move that will bring Walmart’s total commitment to hurricane relief efforts this year to $30 million. This additional support comes on the heels of donations already provided in response to Hurricane Harvey that hit the Gulf region less than three weeks ago.  

Starbucks Corp. has named a former Walmart executive as its next COO.   The coffee giant appointed Rosalind Brewer as group president and COO, effective Oct. 2. She is the first woman, and first African American, to hold such a high post at Starbucks.  

Walmart reported better-than-expected results for its second quarter amid surging online sales and an increase in store traffic.    Walmart's total revenue for the period ended July 31 rose 2.3% to $123.36 billion for the quarter, better than analysts had expected. U.S. store visits increased 1.3% over the year-ago period.   

A discount giant is helping more shoppers skip the checkout line.    Walmart is expanding the deployment of its Scan & Go mobile app, which is being tested in approximately 12 stores across Northwest Arkansas, Florida, Texas and Georgia. The chain is now rolling out the app for use in at least 10 additional locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Nashville markets. The stores will offer the solution by the end of the month, according to Justin Rushing, spokesman for Walmart.  

One of the nation's leading supermarket executives has tapped a retail and digital veteran to join its team.    Albertsons Companies appointed Kevin Turner, former COO at Microsoft, as vice chairman of the board of managers of AB Acquisition, its direct parent. Turned has also been named senior advisor to Albertsons chairman and CEO, Bob Miller.