Walmart

Mountain View, Calif. -- Best Buy tops a list of the most effective back-to-school advertisers, according to Ace Metrix, which provides television and video analytics. An ad promoting free kids’ haircuts at J.C. Penney also was a top perfomer.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart will offer holders of its gift cards, credit cards and prepaid debit cards a discount on gasoline of up to 15 cents a gallon until Dec. 24, 2012.
 
The program will offer shoppers using a Walmart gift card a 10-cents-per-gallon discount. Those who use a Walmart MoneyCard or Walmart credit card will save 15 cents per gallon. The discounts will be available at more than 1,000 Murphy USA and Wal-Mart gas stations in 20 states.
   

By Jim Porçarelli, Active International

It’s an all-too-familiar sight these days. A man walks into a local retail establishment. He browses the products. He finds one he likes. He tests it out, asks a few questions of a salesperson -- and then snaps an image of the product’s barcode with his cell phone and walks out the door.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — The first of 39 former Zellers stores in Canada celebrated its grand opening as a Walmart store Friday.

According to Walmart Canada, the 69,000 sq. ft. store located in Newmarket, Ontario, will feature easy-to-navigate aisles with directional signage, and a bright interior colour palette, which help define the store's merchandise areas, and lower shelving throughout for an improved sightline. In addition, a pharmacy has been added to the store making it even easier for customers to find everything they need.

Wounded retailers have a tendency to take irrational actions which means Walmart could have its hands full this holiday season as Best Buy is looking desperate and has a new CEO at the helm.

Walmart U.S. just reported its fourth consecutive quarter of positive same store sales growth. Now comes the hard part.

The current third quarter period marks the first time in three years that Walmart U.S. is up against a prior year increase in same store sales. As Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon reminded those listening to the company’s conference call last week, Walmart had a 1.3% comp increase in the third quarter of 2011 and this year he is expecting an increase in the range of 1% to 3%.

Walmart saw its low price supremacy challenged this week by a Bloomberg report indicating Target had lower prices on a basket of 150 comparable items.

STERLING, Va. — Former Walmart executive David Hoodis has joined the corporate advisory board of Natural Insight, a private retail technology company engaged in workforce management.

“We feel privileged to have access to David’s respected experience in workforce innovation. His success with numerous leading retailers brings us an added perspective that enables us to stay even further ahead of market need,” stated Stefan Midford, president and CEO of Natural Insight in making the announcement.

Walmart will offer its holiday layaway 30 days earlier this year and extend the program to more product categories, the company announced Monday.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart announced it is bringing back layaway a month early this holiday season. The program will be available nationwide Sept. 16 through Dec. 14.

“Last year, millions of Americans relied on layaway at Walmart to provide a great Christmas for their families. Because of their feedback, we're offering the service again this year and making it better than ever," said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising and marketing officer, Walmart U.S.