Sales & Marketing

Walmart is looking to expand its share of the lucrative market for baby products.   The discounter announced it is relaunching its Parent's Choice line of baby essentials with an expanded line of products and a new logo. Parent's Choice, which began 20 years ago with just baby formula, will grow to 275 items. The relaunch comes as Target Corp. has been focusing on baby with new Cloud Island baby brand, which recently added has bedding and nursery decor to its assortment.   

Pier 1 Imports Inc. reported a wider-than-expected loss in its second quarter and forecast a smaller per-share profit for the year that analysts had expected.   Pier 1 lost $7.8 million, or 10 cents a share, compared with a loss of $4 million, or 5 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted for one-time items, the company reported a loss of 5 cents a share in the quarter.   

“Our belief is that retail and mixed-use places need to evolve or risk irrelevance,” said Trademark Property Co. CEO Terry Montesi, who’s putting that belief to the test at a mixed-use center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  

More than three-quarters of consumers are shopping at bricks-and-mortar stores just as much as or more than they did a year ago.   That's according to Consumer View, a new quarterly report from the National Retail Federation. NRF is working with Toluna Analytics to produce the report, which is designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to stores, online channels, customer loyalty, technology and other issues.  

CVS Pharmacy has brought its new store format to the "crossroads of the world."  

Macy's is overhauling its loyalty program, putting a new focus on its best customers.   The department store retailer is revamping its Star Rewards program with a tiered rewards system that gives its very best shoppers (those who spend $1,200 or more annually) such perks as free shipping, additional savings and earned points on every purchase.  

The nation's largest private employer is working with the country's largest social network.    Walmart has signed on to use Facebook’s Workplace enterprise collaboration platform. Launched in fall 2016, Workplace is designed to connect colleagues within a company, and allow them to message each other, share images and broadcast live videos.   

In an important vote of confidence in its brand from key lenders, Toys "R" Us closed on crucial financing just in time for the holiday crunch.   The retailer announced that it has closed on $3.1 billion of financing facilities that will support its operations during its restructuring process. The financing was from a group of lenders led by JP Morgan.