Convenience Stores

Dollars Tree’s first quarter sales were less than expected, it is divesting more of the acquired Family Dollar stores than expected and closing the merger is taking longer than expected.

Waban, Mass. -- Supermarket companies Hannaford and Publix took the top spots in the 2015 Temkin Effort Ratings, which rates how easy or difficult companies are to work with. The ratings examine 293 companies across 20 industries.

Smart & Final is launching a new marketing blitz that puts its use of punctuation front and center.

The rollout will include print, radio, television and outdoor advertising in select markets and digital outreach now through July 3. The new campaign aims to tell the story of what the value-oriented food and staples retailer has become through its growth initiatives and will highlight the company's heritage.

Hartford, Conn. -- Cyber risks, medical cost inflation, and legal liability are among the top concerns for American businesses of all sizes, according to results from the second annual Travelers Business Risk Index. The survey polled more than 1,200 business decision makers across the country to better understand what they believe poses the biggest threat to their businesses.

Commerce, Calif. -- Smart & Final launched a new branding campaign, which will place the ampersand ("&") -- already in the 144-year old company's name -- front and center to showcase the company's relationship with both its customers and the communities it serves.

Online grocery delivery service Instacart has had to add boats to its fleet of vehicles now that the growing company has decided to launch in Miami.

Customers in Miami can now order from Whole Foods Market, Costco, Winn-Dixie, BJ'S Wholesale Club and Petco stores and have everything delivered by Instacart in as little as one hour. Instacart customers do not need a Costco or BJ's membership to shop from those stores.

Washington, D.C. – Summertime is almost here, and consumers are planning to give the easy and convenient present of a gift card. More than 70% of shoppers will be giving gift cards this spring and summer during the assortment of gift-giving holidays that are approaching, including graduations, Father’s Day, and weddings.

New research from the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA) also confirms that the gifts remain popular with recipients as well, with 95% of consumers hoping to receive gift cards this spring and summer season.

New York - Digital ad spending in the U.S. will total $58.61 billion this year, and retailers' ad outlays will comprise 22% of that figure, or $12.91 billion, by far outpacing all other U.S. industries. According to new figures from eMarketer.

Retailers will spend nearly twice as much as any other industry on mobile advertising in 2015, and the sector's $6.65 billion will represent 23.2% of the $28.72 billion that advertisers in the U.S. will spend to reach consumers on mobile devices this year.