Walmart

For children on a long journey, the typical refrain is, “Are we there yet?” However, for retail IT practitioners and executives, the challenge is not in waiting to get “there,” but figuring out what “there” even is. The question for the IT journey on which retailers are now traveling can be more appropriately phrased as, “Where are we going?”

NEW YORK - Fitch expects U.S. sales growth to modestly improve in the coming holiday season, with retail sales (excluding auto) expected to grow at 3%-4% in November/December versus 2.8% year to date. Fitch expects online sales will grow in the 12%-14% range during the fourth quarter, in line with year to date levels.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Walmart is making a major investment in solar energy, with plans to install up to 400 new solar projects at stores and facilities across the nation during the next four years. The retailer has tapped two solar energy providers for the installations, SolarCity and SunEdison, following an RFP process.  

New Canaan, Conn. - Count on Customer Growth Partners president and CEO Craig Johnson to provide a refreshing break from the standard Black Friday forecast.  Here’s his take on the top 10 retail-related holiday myths of 2014:   

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - It’s going to be a very good holiday for consumer electronics purchases, according to a survey by IHS Inc., with seven out of 10 U.S. consumers (68%) planning to buy consumer electronics during the 2014 holiday season.   

San Bruno, Calif. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is offering 500 online deals during Cyber Week, starting Saturday, Nov. 29, more than double the number of cyber deals it offered last year. Every day through Friday, Dec. 5, Walmart.com will offer 500 discount items, with the best deals arriving on Cyber Monday, Dec. 1.   

New Delhi, India – The India unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has reportedly fired a mid-level manager as part of a probe into alleged bribery violations. According to the Economic Times, Wal-Mart gave the manager a termination notice last week, two years after the company suspended its former India CEO and legal team due to possible violations of U.S. anti-bribery laws.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears has introduced "Reserve It,” a free service that lets Shop Your Way loyalty program members identify apparel and footwear items in-stock at their local store, place them on hold and then try them on in-store. Members log in to their Shop Your Way account on Sears.com and select their local Sears store; apparel and footwear product searches will now show items in-stock at that specific store.