Mass Merchant

New York City -- The Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI) has launched an online charity locator to match up retailers looking to donate overstocked merchandise with local charities, thus receiving a potential tax deduction for items that were not going to be selling at a profit.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Retail Orphan Initiative on Tuesday announced the launch of an online charity locator to match up retailers looking to donate overstocked merchandise with local charities. The charity locator features an interactive map of nearby charities from a RetailROI-developed database of 501c3 organizations across the country that focus on at-risk children, women in distress or families in need.

Johannesburg, South Africa -- The South African retailer owned by Wal-Mart Stores will make a key acquisition to expand its fresh food offerings, according to a Tuesday report by Bloomberg.

Massmart Holdings Ltd. said it will acquire The Fruitspot as part of its plan to expand its fresh foods. A Massmart spokesman told Bloomberg that the retailer aims to increase its business in butcheries, bakeries and fruit and vegetable suppliers.
 

Ada, Okla. — Mach Speed Technologies has announced the launch of Eclipse MP3 Music & Video Players at 700 Best Buy locations across the United States. The prices on these models will start at a $19.99 price point and go up to $39.99.

According to the company, this is the first time Best Buy will be carrying opening price point MP3 players.

Boasting a high resolution screen, long battery life and fast page-turn performance, a new e-reader called the iriver Story HD is set to hit Target stores this weekend. The product is a big deal because it integrates with Google eBooks and Target will be the exclusive retailer of the device, at least for a while as exclusives on hot new electronics items tend to be fleeting.

Overall, the number of inserts and pages declined slightly across the retailer set in June 2011 versus June 2010.

Indio, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers announced that Party City has opened Coachella Valley’s first store, at Regency’s Indio Towne Center, in Indio, Calif.

The new 20,390-sq.-ft. store will open this fall, joining an under-construction Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us, also slated to open in the fall.

Delinquency rates in Target’s credit card portfolio are now at their lowest level in three years as more people are paying their bills on time. It is an encouraging sign for the long-term health of the nation’s economy to know that people are increasingly using credit in a responsible manner, at least those who have a Target card anyway, and therefore more likely to honor their obligations.