Mass Merchant

New York City -- Walmart plans to launch a dedicated page on Walmart.com that will feature an assortment of products created by women in nearly two dozen countries, including women who work in cooperatives and own small businesses. Scheduled to be available in spring 2012, products will include jewelry from Guatemala, Thailand and Ethiopia; coffee from Central and South America; and dresses from Kenya.

Chicago -- Retail sales will rise 3% percent during November and December compared to the year-ago period, but foot traffic will decrease 2.2%, according to ShopperTrak.

ShopperTrak's holiday sales increase prediction follows 19 consecutive months of year-over-year U.S. retail sales growth. The expected increase is moderate compared with the 2010 holiday season's 4.1% sales increase over 2009.

Short Hills, N.J. -- The Mall at Short Hills, in Short Hills, N.J., is now home to new retailers Omega and Pandora, which opened recently in the regional shopping center. Omega opened a flagship store near Nordstrom on the upper level, and jeweler Pandora opened on the lower level near Macy’s.

NEW YORK — Walmart took the next step in its goal to help build women's economic empowerment by announcing the launch of a dedicated page on Walmart.com that will feature an assortment of products created by women in nearly two dozen countries, including women who work in cooperatives and own small businesses. The site, which the company expects to be available in spring 2012, will feature such products as jewelry from Guatemala, Thailand and Ethiopia; coffee from Central and South America; and dresses from Kenya.

New York City -- BJ’s Wholesale Club reduced the size and increased the rate on $2.18 billion of loans backing its buyout by Leonard Green & Partners LLP and CVC Capital Partners, Bloomberg reported.

The retailer cut a first-lien piece by $50 million to $1.075 billion, the report said, citing a source who declined to be identified.
 

New York City -- Shopping-center sales in November and December are expected to increase 2.2% relative to the same period a year ago, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. In 2010, the holiday season posted a 5% gain following two back-to-back declines during the 2007-09 recession.

The organization has forecast that U.S. holiday sales in 2011 will post a moderate 3% gain, down from 2.1% last year.
 

In past columns, I’ve spent time discussing how supermarkets and big-box retailers are successfully rolling out smaller stores. What hasn’t been talked about much is how that trend is starting to spread across the industry, in particular, with specialty retailers. It’s not just the big boys getting smaller any more, it’s almost everyone.

Westlake Village, Calif. -- In a survey released Tuesday by J.D. Power and Associates, which polled customers about their expectations of their pharmacists, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Health Mart, Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy, Publix and Target rank highest in pharmacy customer satisfaction in their respective segments.