Sam's Club

The head of Walmart’s Chilean operation will assume responsibility for all of Latin America following the retirement of current president and CEO Eduardo Solorzano.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart and Sam's Club are introducing a new contact lens program for 2013, the retailers said.

The new program will allow customers to visit Walmart's or Sam's Club's website or call a toll-free number to place contact lens orders and have them delivered to their homes, with free shipping available for orders of more than $50. In addition, the two are offering low prices for certain Acuvue, Air Optix and Biofinity lenses, while Walmart is planning to launch its private-label Equate brand in February.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is offering free health screenings as part of a New Year's promotion, the club retailer said Friday.

The chain will offer free glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index and vision screenings at all of its stores that have pharmacies on Jan. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WASHINGTON — The NRF Foundation and American Express announced the winners of their fifth annual Aspire2Retail Intercollegiate Challenge. Each student will receive an educational scholarship worth $2,500.

The contest is designed to increase understanding of diverse career paths in retail by engaging university students in a competitive, collaborative roleplay that involves implementing a multi-tiered business strategy.

CINCINNATI — Bounty touted the absorbency and strength of each small sheet of Select-A-Size paper towels at the 2013 Rose Bowl Game’s VIP Tailgate.

Former Sam’s Club SVP and GMM Huey Long and former Target EVP of stores Troy Risch have joined forces to right the ship at RadioShack.

Denton, Texas -- RED Development announced it will bring Dillard’s department store to Rayzor Ranch Town Center, the new, open-air retail and entertainment destination now under development in Denton, Texas.  

Dillard’s, being planned as a 126,000-sq.-ft. store, is the first anchor department store named for the new project since RED became an owner and assumed the management of the property in 2010.  

A 2.7% third quarter same store sales increase at Sam’s Club was below expectations for a 3% to 5% increase. President and CEO Rosalind Brewer explained what went wrong yesterday morning during a pre-recorded message.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported Thursday net income of $3.64 billion for the quarter ended Oct. 31, up from $3.34 billion in the year-ago period.

Sales rose 3.4% to $113.20 billion, as U.S. sales beat internal expectations but overall missed Wall Street’s expected $114.96 in revenue.

Wal-Mart U.S. saw same-store sales rise 1.5%, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth after nine straight quarterly declines. At Sam’s Club, same-store sales rose 2.7%, excluding fuel.

Sam’s Club’s decision to open at 7 a.m. on Black Friday is a definite "swim upstream" move on the part of the warehouse club operator given retail industry trends and Walmart’s decision to offer its Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving.