Mass Merchant

New York -- Target Corp. is enhancing the digital experience for its customers. The company is revamping its existing flagship app (with new versions for both iPhones and iPads) and its Cartwheel coupon app, and is also developing a new app for pharmacy, with rollouts scheduled for later this month. The retailer is also in the middle of updating its gift registry app.

Retailers have had a tough year when it comes to advertising prices. In January, a California court issued a multimillion dollar penalty against Overstock.com, after determining that the company advertised discounts in a misleading manner. Since then, retailers across a range of industries have been dragged into costly lawsuits and regulatory investigations involving similar issues. If you’re wondering how something as mundane as advertising the price of an item could lead to so much trouble it’s because the issue is more complicated than most people think.

Toronto -- Slate Retail REIT announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to purchase two grocery-anchored shopping centers.

Oakland Commons, a 73,705-sq.-ft. property in Bloomington, Illinois, will be acquired for $8.2 million ($111 per square foot). The 100% occupied property is anchored by Jewel-Osco, a subsidiary of Albertsons LLC.

Dublin, California -- Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in the Ridgewood Court Shopping Center, in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, on Oct. 11. It is the retailer’s second location in the greater Jackson area.

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year.  

Together, Ross Dress for Less and dd’s Discounts currently operate over 1,300 off-price apparel and home fashion stores in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

New York -- Cautious spending and economic realities that are bifurcating the American holiday shopper into two distinct segments are two of the 10 trends that are expected to drive the 2014 holiday shopping season, according to a new report from PwC US and Strategy.

Minneapolis - Christopher & Banks Corp. is cutting its sales forecast for the third quarter of fiscal 2014, based on sales trends to date for the quarter. The company believes sales have been negatively impacted by continued softness in mall traffic and lower than expected sales from its September fashion show, as the demand for fashion merchandise exceeded planned inventory levels, as well as due to late receipts associated with the West Coast port disruptions.

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Kansas on Oct. 11. The store is located in Schulman Crossing in Garden City.  

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

Target is completely revamping its app, while also working on a new one for pharmacy.

“We view mobile as the new front door to Target,” says Jason Goldberger, SVP of Target.com and mobile, was quoted as saying in the company’s newsletter, A Bullseye View. “We’re launching a host of significant enhancements and updates to Target’s mobile offerings — making it easier than ever for guests to shop Target.”