Retail

Target’s online traffic continues to grow at double-digit rates, with mobile sales growing more than 100% for the holiday period.

A search is underway for a new CEO to lead Dorel Industries recreational and leisure products segment following the departure of Robert Baird.

Until a replacement for Baird is named, Peter Woods, CFO of the recreational and leisure segment, will serve as CEO. Baird joined Dorel as president of the recreation and leisure segment in 2008 as part of a reorganization after previously serving in a senior leadership role at Philips Electronics. He also held key roles as companies such as Samsonite, Scott Paper, Bristol Myers and Procter & Gamble before arriving at Dorel.

Amazon is touting its Prime program again this holiday season, reminding members that they can order gifts as late as midnight EST Sunday, Dec. 22, and still get free delivery before Christmas.

The online retailer is leveraging the shorter shopping period this year, which is one week shorter than last year’s, to drive sales by emphasizing the convenience that online shopping can afford — a surefire way to draw shoppers who want to avoid the imminent crowds this weekend.

UPS expects to accommodate more than 78 million online tracking requests on Tuesday, December 17 thanks in part to new mobile capabilities that offer shoppers unprecedented supply chain visibility.

Hudson’s Bay Company has named Donald Watros, currently the company’s COO, as president of HBC, a newly expanded role. The appointment is effective Feb. 1, 2014.

The move comes as the company restructures its leadership so it can focus on managing and growing HBC’s presence in North America, as well as its expanding portfolio of brands.

Another piece of the leadership puzzle fell into place at Kroger as the company continues to execute a succession strategy backed by the tailwind of 40 consecutive quarter of same store sales growth.

Kroger named Mark Tuffin to the role of SVP of the company’s retail divisions to fill a position previously held by Michael Ellis who was elevated to the role of president and COO last month. Tuffin previously served as president of the company’s Smith’s Food and Drug Stores division.

Faced with unwavering demand for its brand of food retailing and an abundance of potential locations, Whole Foods executives on Tuesday increased their forecast for U.S. store growth to 1,200 locations from 1,000.

The majority of American shoppers think that holiday discounts advertised by retailers are faked, according to a survey conducted by British marketing consultant David Rawlings.

Rawlings’ Google survey, "Before-Christmas sales — Do you believe the discounts are genuine?" queried 1,500 American Internet users, and found that more than 70% of those polled answered "no" to that question.