Supermarket/Grocery

Walmart recently announced that it provided pay increases for its managers who are currently making approximately $45,000 per year. By raising their salaries to $48,500 and keeping their duties intact, Walmart will not need to worry about the new federal overtime rules that go into effect on Dec. 1. As we all know, Walmart sets the pace for change (e.g., selling unboxed deodorant and antiperspirant, selling groceries and general merchandise in the same store, etc.) but will retailers follow suit here by simply increasing wages? Likely not.  

Raley’s, the Northern Californian grocery chain, got one step closer to its vision to build a neighborhood “hub” in Sacramento.   According to a report in the Sacramento Bee, the city’s Planning and Design Commission voted 12-to-1 to approve the chain’s plans for “The Park,” a 108,000-sq.-ft. open-air center ringed by a metal canopy and featuring large store windows and shrub-filled “green screens.”  

American consumers will generate an accelerating 4.1% year-over-year increase in 2016 holiday sales, well exceeding 2015’s tepid 3.6% growth.  

Walmart has made another big e-commerce investment in China.   On the heels of launching three major e-commerce initiatives in China, Walmart will invest $50 million in New Dada — China’s largest local on-demand logistics and grocery online-to-offline (O2O) e-commerce platform.  

In 2013, Newport Capital Partners paid just over $31 million for Danada Square East, a 200,000-sq.-ft. center in Wheaton, Illinois, anchored by a Dominick’s supermarket. Yesterday, Newport sold the property for $63 million.  

The use of cash remains strong among in-store shoppers.   That’s according to a new survey by Cardtronics, in which 89% of consumers report using cash in the past six months to pay for merchandise in a physical store.    Cash was followed by debit cards, used by 74% of consumers in the last six months, and credit cards, used by 66% of consumers. Eighteen percent of consumers reported using store mobile apps to pay for something in the last six months, and 17% used a mobile wallet. 

Ron Loveless, the first CEO of Sam's Club who grew the retailer for several years before retiring in 1986, has died.   According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Loveless died Monday at the age of 73 after "a long battle with cancer," according to a memo from Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and Sam's Club CEO Rosalind Brewer sent to Sam's Club employees.  

Two online brands and an iconic American designer top a list of retail brands that command the most loyalty among consumers.   Amazon, Zappos and Ralph Lauren were the top loyalty leaders in the retail segment in the 20th annual  Brand Keys Loyalty Leaders List.  The ranking, which is 100% consumer-driven, examined 72 categories and 635 brands. Rounding out the top five in retail: Sephora and Trader Joe’s.