Retail

Seattle – Amazon.com is reportedly using image recognition technology to allow consumers to wave an iPhone in front of a product and automatically have it placed on their Amazon shopping list. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, this feature uses the iPhone’s built-in camera, eliminating the need for barcode or QR code scanning.

Virginia Beach, Va. — Ingenuity Development has entered into a strategic alliance with a New York Stock Exchange-traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to combine forces on joint venture opportunities for retail and mixed-use projects in the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. Ingenuity will also see opportunities to work with its affiliate, Divaris Real Estate, to lease and manage completed projects.

Food Lion has unveiled a new online tool, MVP Coupon Hub, to make accessing grocery coupons online easier for customers.

The new tool, found on the grocer’s website features load-to-card and printable coupons.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. posted strong sales for January and issued a fourth-quarter profit forecast that topped expectations.

The retailer said its same-store sales rose 1% in January. Analysts had expected a drop of 1.3%. Net sales for the four weeks that ended Feb. 1 were $899 million, compared with net sales of $1.13 billion for the five-week period ended Feb. 2, 2013.

For the fourth quarter, net sales were $4.58 billion, compared with $4.73 billion a year earlier.

Northbrook, Ill. — Pine Tree Commercial realty has appointed Ryan Montes to the post of property manager and asset management coordinator. Montes will manage three Pine Tree assets, while overseeing quarterly asset management meetings and portfolio reporting.

Montes comes to Pine Tree from Miller Capital Advisory’s asset management and reporting group, where he handled reporting and analysis for over 10.4 million sq. ft. of regional and lifestyle shopping centers.

Tractor Supply Company has elected Mark J. Weikel to the company's board of directors. Weikel currently serves as president and CEO of Luxottica Retail Optical North America.

Prior to his various positions at Luxottica, Weikel served as COO of Lord & Taylor. Before Lord & Taylor, Weikel was president & COO of Victoria's Secret Stores at Limited Brands. Earlier in his career, Weikel held several management positions at the May Department Stores Company.

Nashville, Tenn. — GBT Realty has announced that Firehouse Subs, Aspen Dental, Bama Fever Tiger Pride, Smashburger and Edible Arrangements will be coming to Cobbs Ford Village, a new in-line shopping center in Prattville, Ala.

Starbuck’s and Gigi’s Cupcakes have already opened at the shopping center, and Chipotle will open in mid February. Two 1,600-sq.-ft. places remain available.

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that Walmart has expanded and already sizable footprint in the San Francisco bay area.
Walmart opened a new office in Sunnyvale, about 30 miles south of its Global eCommerce and @Walmart Labs headquarter in San Bruno, that employs 500 people, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Details are still a bit sketchy, but click here for more from Walmart.com’s hometown newspaper visit.