Mass Merchant

Waban, Mass. – Supermarket chain H-E-B is the most trusted chain in the most trusted niche of retail. H-E-B took the top spot in the 2015 Temkin Trust Ratings, which measured the trust of 10,000 U.S. consumers across 293 companies in 20 industries.

New York -- Fresh & Easy plans to close 55 stores, which would leave the chain with about 110 locations, the Orange Country Register reported. Fresh & Easy is owned by the Yucaipa Cos., which bought the supermarket chain out of bankruptcy in 2013 from U.K. retailer Tesco. It operates stores in Nevada, California and Arizona.

The stores slated for closing do not meet Fresh & Easy’s new model of “modern convenience.”

Sao Paulo, Brazil – Brazilian mass merchandise retailer Etilux has selected the HighJump Warehouse Advantage warehouse management system (WMS) for its diverse supply chain needs. Etilux worked with Otimis, HighJump’s partner in Brazil, to select HighJump Warehouse Advantage.

New York -- The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected a request by Wal-Mart Stores to prevent shareholders from voting on a proposal to elect an independent board chairman at the retailer’s annual meeting in June.

Wal-Mart had argued that the proposal, which was submitted by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Fund, should be omitted because it was vague in its standard of independence, according to Reuters. But the SEC rejected the argument.
 

New York -- Wal-Mart Stores has reached a settlement with the two children of James McNair, the comedian who was killed in the highway accident that also seriously injured comic and former “Saturday Night Live” performer Tracy Morgan, the Associated Press reported.
 
Citing documents filed in New York's Westchester County, the AP reported the children were awarded a total of $10 million. The deadly crash occurred on June 7, 2014, on the New Jersey Turnpike.
   

The Next Big Thing in e-commerce is set to launch in late May according to Marc Lore, CEO of a new online Marketplace called Jet that blends aspects of the traditional warehouse club model with a new approach to dynamic pricing and fulfillment.

Lore said the Jet board of directors is scheduled to meet on May 7. At that time he expects the platform will be ready for launch and the board will pick a specific launch date within the following two week window.

Big Lots hopes to give back to the communities it serves with a new charity focused on hunger, housing, health care and education.

Big Lots has announced that it has launched a nonprofit foundation to guide its charitable endeavors into the future.

The Big Lots Foundation will help strengthen the Company's philanthropic initiatives and support its commitment to making a difference in the communities where it operates.

Wasn’t Best Buy supposed to be out of business by now? Instead, the company has shown itself to be one of the retail industry’s most resilient operators, achieving growth in the face of intense competition and deteriorating demand for once hot product categories like tablets.

Not that long ago Best Buy was at risk of becoming irrelevant, a victim of showrooming and competitive forces, headed for a fate similar to RadioShack. Instead, as evidenced by its fourth quarter results, Best Buy is practically thriving against some still challenging circumstances.