eCommerce

Minneapolis -- Retailer promotion activity continued to grow with a 21.6% increase to more than 11.3 billion pages in the first half of 2013, with Walmart leading in retailer activity, according to Kantar Media’s Marx report. Following on Walmart’s heels were Walgreens, Target and Family Dollar.

New York -- The National Football League has signed an exclusive agreement with Export Now to establish an official online store in China. Similar to its current U.S. e-commerce store, NFLShop.com, the China iteration will sell apparel, equipment and accessories branded with the logos of the NFL and its 32 teams over an e-commerce platform on China's Tmall.com business-to-consumer website.

The new online store is slated to debut in September, in time for the 2013 NFL season.

South Deerfield, Mass. -- The Yankee Candle Co. has appointed Chris Kelly as general manager, Canada, charged with overseeing all aspects of the Yankee Candle business in Canada.  

Kansas City -- A new study of the millennial generation shows that many 25- to 34-year-old shoppers change their purchasing habits and behaviors after they start their families.

LOS ANGELES — Shopzilla, a leading source of sales and consumer feedback for online merchants and retail advertisers, is expanding its footprint with the launch of its new media solutions and audience targeting division Aisle A in Europe, which will offer marketers access to proprietary shopping intent data and evolving premium retail inventory. 

San Francisco -- Although most of the 16 electronics retailers scored by the Electronics TakeBack Coalition received an “F” grade, three companies – Staples, Best Buy and Office Depot – were deemed to have effective recycling programs.

More than half of the retailers failed the Coalition’s assessment, including Walmart, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club and Sears.

Chicago -- Home meal replacements or prepared foods from supermarkets, drug stores and other retail outlets will continue to capture share of the meal/snacks market by stealing visits from restaurants, according to a recent study by The NPD Group.

Its recent foodservice forecast through 2022 indicated that instances of prepared food purchased at retailers for at-home consumption will increase by 10% over the next decade compared to a 4% increase forecast for commercial foodservice traffic.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer conducted a survey of its customers, which revealed that 90% of them plan to spend the same or more than they did last year and 40% will have completed their back-to-school shopping before the school year begins. 

Median spend will range between $101-$150 per student and $201-$250 in total. In addition, 15% of parents expect students to help pay for a portion of school expenses and nearly 30% will get help from grandparents.