eCommerce

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. said Wednesday its board has authorized a new $2 billion stock buyback program.

The drugstore retailer completed a previously announced $1 billion stock buyback program and now has approved a new $2 billion share repurchase program that expires Dec. 31, 2015.
 

Palo Alto, Calif. -- Seventy percent of retailers are empowering their employees with technology-enabled touch points to help their businesses to differentiate and evolve, according to a recent RSR Research report cosponsored by HP.

The study finds that by arming their associates with a range of technologies that provide relevant and timely information -- such as digital signage, self-service kiosks, mobile devices and advanced point-of-sale systems -- retailers can increase productivity and boost multichannel selling opportunities.

SAN FRANCISCO — Levi's announced that it has appointed Paul Zadoff as its new SVP wholesale commercial operations for the Americas. In this role, Zadoff will be responsible for developing and implementing effective strategies to drive long-term sustainable revenue growth, as well as ensuring the integration of a consistent consumer experience across the brand's wholesale commercial operation channels in the Americas.

With the proliferation of pop-up stores around the country, it only makes sense that companies would begin to evaluate the kinds of staffing needed for these temporary retail environments. After all, personnel well-suited to a permanent store may not be the best fit for a pop-up.

The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) is taking place this week (July 10 – 14) in Los Angeles, with some 15,000 from around the globe in attendance at the Staples Center. It’s a huge event, with over 100 breakout sessions each day, 22 regional keynotes and country breakouts. To kick-off the show, CEO Steve Ballmer said that, thanks to partners, Windows 7 has sold more than 400 million licenses in less than two years, and is still the fastest-selling operating system in history.

Here are some  other interesting tidbits from the conference:

New York City -- In an address Wednesday at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles, COO Kevin Turner said that Microsoft hopes to open 75 freestanding Microsoft stores within the next two to three years.

“We’re going to open up to 75 more stores over the next two to three years, and continue to bring our stores outside the U.S. as well, so we’ve got a huge opportunity to get the Microsoft story out there, and we’re going to keep driving that,” Turner said.

St. Louis -- An affiliate of Sun Capital Partners and Kellwood announced an agreement to acquire Amsterdam-based fashion brand Scotch & Soda.  The deal is expected to close in August 2011 upon regulatory approval. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Seattle -- A Monday report by the Wall Street Journal said that Amazon.com on Friday filed a petition to add a measure on the California ballot asking voters to repeal the recently passed California law that requires online retailers to collect sales tax.

Amazon needs to submit 504,760 signatures by late September in order to get the measure on the Feb. 7, 2012 ballot for the next statewide election.