Retail

Hy-Vee has entered into an agreement to purchase Amber Pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy solutions provider based in Omaha, Neb.

Hy-Vee and Amber Pharmacy have been partners in Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions since 2010. This acquisition allows Hy-Vee to expand its current specialty pharmacy business, providing customers with increased specialty options, access and affordability.

Amazon has never been shy about tooting its own horn and the most recent example involves the company’s content engine known as Amazon Studios.

Since launching in November 2010, aspiring screenplay writers have submitted more than 20,000 movie scripts and 6,000 series projects. Amazon recently debuted a second batch of original series and one week later the company is heralding positive feedback from reviewers and customers.

With tax refunds arriving in mail boxes soon, the 6,500 unit GameStop chain is looking to capture its share of the windfall with a promotion involving gaming giveaways and a new car.

Health and beauty pioneer Horst Rechelbacher died at his home in Osceola, Wis., at the age of 72 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Bealls has enlisted JustEnough Software Corporation, a leading provider of demand management solutions for retail, wholesale and direct-to-consumer businesses worldwide, to improve customer service.

Bealls will be leveraging the new technology to streamline its inventory and be able to turnaround stock quickly to meet its customers’ needs.

Kimberly-Clark North America has named Grant LaMontagne as president of customer development. In his new role, LaMontagne will lead all sales and customer development activities for the company’s operations in North America and will report to KCNA group president Michael Hsu.

LaMontagne joins KCNA from Clorox, where he was most recently SVP and GM for Clorox Professional Products business, which includes the health care, janitorial/sanitary and institutional foods channels.

MasterCard has teamed up with Points International so it can offer cardholders enhanced rewards that give them more ways to redeem, exchange and trade their rewards points.

The flexible rewards management and monetization options are expected to drive engagement and value to rewards programs offered by issuing banks participating in the MasterCard Rewards Platform.

With approximately 1.5 billion smartphones currently in use today, it is safe to say mobile is radically changing consumer retail behavior. To maximize in-store sales opportunities and minimize hurdles to purchase, retailers must change their approach to reach a new generation of customers steeped in a mobile lifestyle.

But how should retailers best interact with their customers in this new age of mobile? A new innovation from Apple could be one answer: iBeacon.