Walmart

A new billion dollar merger is reported about to rock the supermarket industry.   Albertsons Companies Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire Price Chopper, a privately held, New York-based regional grocery store operator, for around $1 billion, Reuters reported. Price Chopper operates some 130 stores in the Northeast, including New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.   

If you’re concerned about employee engagement and reducing your staff turn-over numbers, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there’s a startup offering solutions to meet your workers engagement goals and encourage your associates to stay onboard and thrive with your team. Other companies in the spotlight this month are innovating around point-of-purchase mobile marketing, using in-store scents to stand out, real-time store promotional display monitoring and creating meaningful and memorable customer experiences.  

One of the nation’s top mall operators is expanding an innovative concept is designed to solve the top pain point of online shopping: returns.    Macerich is expanding its Happy Returns service to three additional malls: Fashion Outlets of Chicago, The Shops at North Bridge, and Tysons Corner Center. The service builds on the success of the mall operator’s first Return Bar, at Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, Calif.  

Sales on Cyber Monday, Nov. 28, are on track to rise 9.4% to $3.36 billion, according to Adobe Digital Insights.      Industry experts noted that while Cyber Monday is traditionally the biggest online shopping day of the year, it may be losing some of its luster in the wake of the most sucessful online Black Friday to date.  This year, online sales totaled $3.3 billion the day after Thanksgiving.  

  The Fung Global Retail & Technology team visited 35 stores throughout the Greater New York City area and Las Vegas on Black Friday for a first-hand view on traffic and sales.  Here are their top five takeaways from their store visits:  Cyber Monday Starts Early for Walmart:  Walmart kicked off its Cyber Monday deals at 12:01am EST on Friday for the first time ever, as it aims to grab customers ahead of its competitors. Last year, the company posted its Cyber Monday deals on the Sunday evening following Thanksgiving.

A lawsuit dating back to 2008 has ended in a federal jury handing down a $55 million verdict against Walmart, and opening up the retailer to penalties.   The jury found that Walmart failed to pay about 850 of its truck drivers in California all of the compensation to which they were entitled, Reuters reported.   

With the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reporting more than 1,000 forborne outbreaks annually, Walmart is taking a proactive stance.  

Watch out Amazon, Walmart may be giving you a run for the money in the holiday toy aisles.