Retail

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday that it is implementing a pilot program that brings increased transparency to its workforce scheduling and allows associates to choose more hours for themselves.

Walmart said it is piloting the program in Denver and Fort Smith, Ark., to provide associates with transparent and consistent information on available shifts throughout the store and give them the opportunity to request to work any of those shifts.

New York -- Another Ron Johnson-appointee and former Apple executive has left J.C. Penney. Ben Fay, who was brought as EVP real estate, store design and development, has left the company, according to the Dallas Morning News. Returning to Penney in an advisory capacity is the chain's former SVP of property development, Tom Clerkin, who took early retirement from the company last year, the report said.

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted 96-0 to confirm former Wal-Mart Foundation president Sylvia Mathews Burwell as White House budget director.

Burwell, the first fully confirmed budget director since January 2012, when Jack Lew, now Treasury Secretary, left the position to become Obama's chief of staff, received a vote of confidence from her former employer.

Whiting, Ind. -- Survey results released Wednesday by CouponCabin.com found that one in five smartphone owners have visited a store after receiving notification that specials, coupons or deals were available nearby.

The survey – conducted by Harris Interactive – also found that 70% of smartphone owners would be at least somewhat influenced to make an unplanned purchase at a store after receiving this type of alert.

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack Corp. on Tuesday reported a bigger-than-expected first quarter loss on weak sales of wireless phone contracts. The company also reported that it is updating its brand and will begin remodeling select locations with a new look and feel over the next few weeks.

Joseph C. Magnacca, a former Walgreens executive who became CEO of RadioShack in February, remarked on the initial priorities and initiatives underway. Last week, he named a new chief marketing officer and a new SVP store concepts.

Tampa, Fla. -- Applied Data Corporation (ADC), a provider of fresh item management (FIM), recipe management and scales management software to the grocery retail and food service industries, announces that Publix Super Markets, a 1,068 store chain headquartered in Lakeland, Fla., has selected InterScale, ADC's Scales Management Software system, for data transmission to and from the barcode labeling scales in their stores.
 

New York -- The National Retail Federation applauded a Senate vote to proceed with debate on S.743, an act to level the sales tax field for online and brick-and-mortar stores.

NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay issued the following statement: “NRF applauds today’s Senate vote on the Marketplace Fairness Act and we commend Senators Enzi, Durbin, Alexander and Heitkamp for their skilled leadership in moving this legislation ahead.”


New York -- Icing, a division of Claire’s Stores, is being re-branded with a new store design, new logo and updated imagery, Women’s Wear Daily reported.

The jewelry and accessories retailer plans to open some 35 stores this year, including a flagship in Chicago. The new locations will feature the updated design. Existing stores will be remodeled.