Mass Merchant

Ottawa, Canada - Amazon.com was the predominant low-price leader in several product categories from January through early April 2014. 360pi compared the pricing strategies of the industry’s top retailers, such as Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Costco and others, all based off of Amazon’s own product assortment relative to other retailers in power drills, televisions and outdoor gear.

Weis Markets has appointed David Gose as the company’s SVP of operations.

In that capacity Gose will oversee the day-to-day operation and management of the company’s stores. He reports to COO Kurt Schertle.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Holdings Corp. on Wednesday confirmed it is exploring strategic options for its 51% interest in Sears Canada Inc., including a sale. To assist in its efforts, the retailer said it will hire to an investment banking firm.

Sears Canada's board of directors and management intend to cooperate fully with Sears Holdings in this process. Net loss attributable to Sears Holdings’ shareholders was $358 million and $1.4 billion, respectively, for the fourth quarter and full year of 2013.

Burlington, Mass. — Big Lots has signed a lease for 31,000 sq. ft. at Wonderland Marketplace in Revere, Massachusetts. KeyPoint Partners represented the landlord in the transaction.

Wonderland Marketplace is a 135,000-sq.-ft. shopping center anchored by Marshalls and Staples. In line tenants include Hair Cuttery, Ninety-Nine restaurant, and the U.S. Post Office. The Big Lots space is in a former Stop & Shop. Another 33,687 sq. ft. is available for lease in that building.

Sioux Falls, S.D. – A retail center is being planned for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. According to the Argus Leader, preliminary plans for the Market at Canyon Creek Development include two 17,000-sq.-ft. retail buildings and include a drug store, three restaurants and a bank.

Owner RMB Associates hopes to have the site developed by 2016. A Get N Go convenience store is also planned for the northeast corner of the site, which is owned by Olson Oil Co.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. CEO Kevin Mansell is said to be seeking a new chief merchandising officer who would be next in line to take the CEO reins.

A report by the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, suggested that Mansell is scouting for a new chief merchant to not only take the merchandising lead for the discount department store chain but also to serve as the key player in a potential succession plan. The chief merchant slot has been vacant since the departure of Donald Brennan last March.

Those of us who’ve been around retail for a while remember the shutdown that brought West Coast port operations to a halt in the fall of 2002.

Reston, Va. -- A report by comScore showed that, in the first quarter, desktop-based e-commerce rose 12% year-over-year to $56.1 billion, marking the 18th consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and 14th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.

M-commerce spending on smartphones and tablets added $7.3 billion for the quarter, up 23%, for a digital commerce spending total of $63.4 billion in the first quarter.