Walmart

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples Inc. said on Monday that it has agreed to buy PNI Digital Media, Canadian company whose software platform enables retailers to sell such personalized products as photo books, calendars, business cards, documents, wedding invitations, and stationery. The cash transaction is valued at approximately C$73.9 million ($67.5 million).

PNI’s software powers both online and in-store platforms. Its retail clients include Costco and Walmart Canada.

Lighting plays a critical role in retail, and is rapidly evolving to meet changing regulations and customer needs. Dr. Laura Prestwood Thompson, director of the TCU Center for Lighting Education, Texas Christian University, discussed how stores and restaurants in 2025 will light their interiors and looked at the technologies and trends that will impact retail lighting during the SPECS workshop session, “Lighting 2025.”

“The quality of light is key,” Thompson said. “You create an aesthetic for your brand that impacts the customer experience.”

Despite what president and CEO Ajay Banga called a “mixed global economy,” MasterCard Incorporated kicked off the year with a strong quarter.

The company reported net income of $870 million, up 14%, and earnings per diluted share of $0.73, up 18%, in each case versus the year-ago period.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said he was reluctant to hit send on an email inviting CEOs from top global companies to attend the retailer’s Sustainable Product Expo because he knows how busy everyone is. However, when an email from the top executive from the world’s largest company offers an opportunity to “be part of what’s next,” it’s not surprising so many CEOs found time to visit Northwest Arkansas this week.
 

Canada no longer top priority for U.S. retail expansion

During the past few years, U.S. and international retailers have flocked to Canada in the hunt for top-line growth as store portfolios matured in the United States and there were fewer opportunities for expansion. In fact, many U.S. retailers considered Canada to be an extension of their domestic businesses due to the similarities and close proximity to their home offices.

Walmart may not operate stores in New York but it managed to enlist the aid of the city’s top trash executive to reinforce the importance of accelerating recycling efforts.

Lifetime Brands, a leading global provider of branded kitchenware, tableware and other products used in the home, is seeing the results of its aggressive growth strategy — which included the acquisition of four businesses during the period — in the first quarter ended March 31.

Consolidated net sales for the quarter were $118.4 million, soaring 20% from $98.7 million for the corresponding period in 2013.

There is no substitute for a strong brand — whatever the sales channel. That’s the basic underlying premise of Interbrand’s annual “Best Retail Brands” report, which ranks the top 50 North American and international retailers by brand value. It’s a premise worth keeping in mind amid all the online versus offline talk. As Interbrand global CEO Jez Frampton puts it: “In the end, it is the brand, not the footprint, that will endure.”