Mass Merchant

All eyes will be on Walmart’s new CEO Doug McMillon next week when the company reports worse-than-expected fourth quarter results on Thursday, and McMillon makes his first public comments since becoming CEO.

McMillon is no stranger to providing financial updates during the company’s pre-recorded earnings calls, investor conferences and analysts’ meetings. He performed those duties on numerous occasions during the past decade while serving as president and CEO of Walmart International and president and CEO of Sam’s Club before that.

Chicago — L.L. Bean has been ranked number one in online customer experience. The E-tailing Group 2013 Customer Experience Index, based on a mystery shopping study conducted during the fourth quarter of 2013, awarded L.L. Bean a top score of 88.75, followed by HSN at 87.25.

Other retailers scoring higher than 80 included Office Depot, Overstock, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Sears, Abt, Target, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Average score in 2013 was 71.06, up from 69.3 in 2012. Repeat winners from 2012 included Amazon and Office Depot.

Chicago — Consumers reportedly are not willing to pay higher fees for Amazon Prime subscription service. According to the Wall Street Journal, a recent survey of 300 current Amazon Prime members from research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners indicates fewer than half of members would renew their subscription at a higher cost.

From loading trucks at the age of 17, to meeting his wife on the Bentonville square to becoming an assistant buyer and interacting with founder Sam Walton, Walmart’s new CEO Doug McMillon is sharing details about his journey to becoming the company’s youngest CEO.
 

Acosta Sales & Marketing acquired Anderson Daymon Worldwide, a sales and marketing agency focused exclusively on Costco.

Anderson Daymon Worldwide has had a relationship with Costco since 1983 and currently has 200 employees and 11 regional offices in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company exclusively serves Costco. As part of the transaction, Daymon Worldwide, which operates a product demonstration division called Interactions, will no longer hold an interest in the Costco business and will not be affiliated with the newly created Acosta division.

Destin, Fla. — Charming Charlie and Icing by Claire’s will open at Destin Commons in Destin, Fla., next summer as part of the Northwest Florida center’s 100,000-sq.-ft. expansion.

H&M and Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill will anchor the expansion wing.

Charming Charlie, a fashion accessories retailer, will occupy more than 6,000 sq. ft. next to Uncle Buck’s.

Bentonville, Ark. — Wal-Mart is reportedly halting its Indian expansion plans, at least for now. According to the Financial Times, Wal-Mart has not opened any new cash-and-carry stores in India since October 2013 or any new convenience stores there since November 2013.

Consumers leveled off post-holiday shopping and spending in the beginning of the year due in part to severe winter weather in much of the country. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), January 2014 retail sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, were flat seasonally adjusted month-to-month, yet increased 3% unadjusted year-over-year.