Mass Merchant

Dollar General is set to grow its already considerable footprint through an acquisition.   The discounter will acquire all 323 stores from Dollar Express, according to the Charlotte Observer.    

Is Staples looking to go private?   Less than a year after its deal to acquire Office Depot Inc. fell through due to antitrust concerns, Staples is in early discussions with private-equity bidders, according to The Wall Street Journal.   Staples had no comment on the report, which said that based on typical takeover premiums, the office supply chain could be valued at roughly $7 billion or more. But the news sent its stock soaring to a four-year high on Tuesday morning   

Walmart is looking to expand its logistics capabilities.   The discounter  recently submitted plans to city planners In Bentonville, Ark,  for a 1.27 million-sq.-ft. distribution center, according to a report by Talk Business & Politics-Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.  

Amazon has launched a new way for customers to shop its site without using a bank card or credit card.    Called Amazon Cash, the service allows consumers to add cash to their Amazon.com balance by showing a barcode at a participating brick-and-mortar store, with the cash then applied immediately to the consumer’s  online Amazon account.  Notably, Walmart already offers a similar type of service for customers without a credit or debit card, as does PayPal.   

Target Corp. is stepping up its inventory management.   The discount retailer is partnering with Avery Dennison to deploy radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to more than 1,600 stores. The deployment, described by the technology provider as the largest of its kind, will help Target  maximize inventory availability and deliver an enhanced shopper experience.   

  A just-released analysis of the U.S. retail sector offers positive news for an industry that has been subject to some gloomy assessments in recent times.   Despite the rash of recent Chapter 11 filings and store closings, the U.S. retail sector as a whole remains incredibly strong and shows no signs of slowing down, according to a report by business intelligence firm Creditsafe USA.  

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court. Since vacancies on the bench are rare and the political stakes so high, few spectacles in Washington D.C. invite this level of drama. He was confirmed by the committee but when his nomination eventually goes to the floor of the Senate for a vote, the real fun will begin. (See “nuclear option.”) Lost in the hype is what his eventual seat on the court will mean to retail operators.