Mass Merchant

Wal-Mart Stores is in talks to buy start-up Jet.com, an online retailer that has styled itself as a challenger to Amazon, the Wall Street Journal reported.   The acquisition would give a big boost to Wal-Mart’s digital efforts, as well as its efforts to compete with Amazon. At the company’s annual shareholders meetings in June, Wal-Mart CEO Doug said the discounter planned to become more aggressive in growing its online business.  

Ninety-three percent of consumers are starting their back-to-school shopping before classes begin and receipts promise to be strong for stores.   Three-quarters of the 2,000 shoppers surveyed by JLL recently said they planned to spend between $100 and $500 on school purchases, and most of those transactions figure to take place at brick-and-mortar locations. Only 19% said they’d buy supplies online and just 25% figured to look to the Web for apparel.  

The benefits of density and densification are a fundamental tenet of “new urbanism,” the guiding set of principles exerting a significant influence over real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use strategies.  

Top Walmart executive Michelle Gloeckler, who landed 38th on Fortune’s list of most powerful women last year, will leave Bentonville to take over as executive VP and chief merchandising officer at Academy Sports + Outdoors.  

When the new L.L. Bean store opened at Lynnhaven Mall this summer, it did so to lines wrapped around the building as shoppers waited to see the state of Virginia’s third store for the outdoor retailer.   The 17,138-sq.-ft. store in Virginia Beach joins outposts in Richmond and Tysons Corner; it was designed by Cuhaci & Peterson in a former Lord & Taylor space which was renovated by KBE Building Corp.    

When it comes to back-to-school shopping, kids have all the power – and they strongly prefer shopping in-store. A recent study by Citi Retail Services revealed that kids wield extraordinary power over back-to-school purchase decisions, and those decisions include shopping for goods in physical stores.  

Macy’s, Inc. has named Elisa D. Garcia as chief legal officer, effective Sept. 7, succeeding Dennis J. Broderick, who is retiring after 29 years.   Garcia, 58, has served in the same capacity for Office Depot since 2013. She was executive VP/general counsel for Domino’s Pizza prior to that.