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Mass Merchant

  • Walmart jump starts the holidays with layaway return; reveals 25 must-have toys

    The nation's largest retailer is gearing up for the holidays with the early return of its popular layaway program and stocking up on exclusive toys.    The program went into effect on Sept. 1. Again this year, there is no opening fee for customers to start a layaway account, and they only need to put down 10% (or $10, whichever is greater).   

  • Walmart hits major milestone—in Amazon's backyard

    As the online delivery wars heat up, Walmart is expanding its grocery pickup service to the hometown of one of its biggest rivals.  

  • Starbucks taps former Sam's Club CEO as No.2 executive

    Starbucks Corp. has named a former Walmart executive as its next COO.   The coffee giant appointed Rosalind Brewer as group president and COO, effective Oct. 2. She is the first woman, and first African American, to hold such a high post at Starbucks.  

  • Toys 'R' Us hires firm to help it explore options

    Toys "R" Us' debt may have finally caught up with it.    With $400 million in debt coming due in 2018, Toys "R" Us is bringing in advisors to help the retailer weigh its options, which could include filing for bankruptcy protection. The nation's largest specialty toy retailer has hired Kirkland & Ellis, a law firm that specializes in corporate restructurings.   

  • Home Depot adds ‘voice-activated’ shopping to the mix

    The nation's largest home improvement retailer is getting in on the voice shopping game.   Home Depot is joining Google Express this fall, a move that will give its customers the ability to shop just by speaking their orders. Google Assistant, the search giant's online shopping platform, resides on Google’s smart speaker Google Home and other smart devices.   

  • Discount giant steps up cloud and AI initiatives

    Walmart is making a bold move as it continues to seek out ways to distance itself from Amazon.   The discount giant is investing in Nvidia chips. These high-level graphical processing units (GPUs) will be the foundation of a robust cloud network where Walmart data scientists can build out AI systems, reported Geek Wire.  

  • Casper extending reach into brick-and-mortar

    Online mattress start-up Casper is getting more upfront with shoppers.   The fast-growing company plans to open some 15 pop-up shops in cities across North America, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The pop-ups are scheduled to launch in October 2017, and will remain open through spring of 2018.  

  • Discounter’s head of risk and compliance to depart

    Target is losing another key executive.   Jackie Rice, Target's chief risk and compliance officer, announced she will be leaving the company at the end of the month. Rice announced that leaving is a personal decision, and she wants to be closer to her family who lives outside of Minneapolis, according to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal.  
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