Mass Merchant

LOS ANGELES — Retailers would be wise to focus more of their efforts on Cyber Monday this year, at least according to new research from IBISWorld, which found that Cyber Monday sales are expected to increase 12.4%. The firm expects Black Friday sales will only see marginal growth as consumers continue to move away from brick-and-mortar shopping. 

Washington, D.C. -- With most holiday season merchandise already on its way to store shelves, import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports has started to decline for the fall, and November is forecast at 1.9% below the same month last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Walmart is looking to offer shoppers ways to access Walmart both in-store and online with the launch of new mobile applications for iPhone and iPad devices.

Walmart said the free apps are the first of several mobile products to be rolled out from the recently formed @WalmartLabs group under Walmart's global e-commerce unit.

The updated iPhone app includes such new features as:

• Voice: Users can add items to shopping list by speaking, typing or scanning bar codes;

New York City -- Voters in the state of Washington on Tuesday approved a plan to privatize liquor sales, siding with Costco Wholesale Corp. in the costliest initiative campaign in state history, the Associated Press reported. The measure will end Washington's state-run liquor system, which was formed in the 1930s in the aftermath of Prohibition.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General announced that throughout November, shoppers can record a message of gratitude or send a care package through www.dollargeneral.com/military.

Buffalo, N.Y. -- New Era announced it will open its 10th flagship, in the heart of downtown Chicago. The two-level, 4,500-sq.-ft. store, New Era's largest location to date, will sell licensed and New Era branded headwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and kids. The brand is best known for being the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball.

New York City -- Target Corp. is building a distribution center in Denton, Texas, the Dallas Business Journal reported.

The 360,000-sq.-ft. center is expected to open in March 2013.
 

The nearly 1,000 stores Gap Inc. operates under various nameplates that will be open on Thanksgiving are the latest indication of the extreme measures required of retailers to grow holiday sales during challenging and intensively competitive times.