Walmart

By Marie Jackson, CMO of Retail Solutions Inc.

Bentonville, Ark. – Comedian Tracy Morgan has filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores claiming the company was negligent in a June 2014 automobile accident involving one of its truck drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike. On June 7, Wal-Mart truck driver Kevin Roper, 35, allegedly swerved to miss an auto on the New Jersey Turnpike and instead struck a limousine bus carrying Morgan and several associates.

Sears and Kmart recently announced they will allow pickup of Sears.com or Kmart.com orders at any of each other's more than 2,000 U.S. stores. Customers will be able to select free store pickup and a preferred pickup location for specially marked online items. The retailers are even taking the digitally progressive step of offering online video instruction through the YouTube channel for members of the Sears/Kmart Shop Your Way omnichannel loyalty program.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is reportedly seeking to keep files regarding an internal probe of possible bribes paid to Mexican officials to aid real estate deals out of the hands of investors. According to Bloomberg, Wal-Mart is arguing in a case before the Delaware Supreme Court that the files in question are protected by attorney-client privilege.

ShopAtHome.com, one of the largest coupon search engines connecting shoppers to exclusive deals and cash-back savings, has expanded its product offering to include ShopGold Rewards, a new program that offers free gift cards from major retailers to consumers.

The company said that ShopGold Reward’s launch has positioned it as the “most extreme savings hub anywhere,” and the only site offering coupons, cash back and free gift card rewards in an integrated way through its site and apps.

Sales and marketing services leader Crossmark unveiled a first-of-its-kind collaboration center on July 10 just steps from Walmart’s Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters. The new facility offers the retailer and its trading partners a wide range of joint business planning, shopper insights and store execution capabilities.

Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania — Wolfson Group will launch a redevelopment of Hilltown Crossings, a community shopping center with a gross leasable area of 354,458 sq. ft., located on Route 309 at Orvilla Road in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in June 2013 versus June 2014 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. Both Walmart and Toys “R” Us experienced some extreme shifts versus last year. Toys “R” Us did not run any circulars during the month of June, down from two last year. Instead, it ran only web and email promotions. The inverse occurred in January, when it ran no print ads in 2013 and only a single short circular in 2014.