Sales & Marketing

Despite gains in prescription marketshare and comparable pharmacy sales across its U.S. base, Walgreens Boots Alliance missed analyst expectations for its second quarter. 

  When it comes for help in stores, shoppers are increasingly going mobile.   That is one of the findings of a survey by Salsify, a product content management platform for distributed commerce, which revaled that 77%  of shoppers use a mobile device while shopping in store.  This compares to just 35%  of shoppers who opt to speak to a salesperson if they have questions about a product.  

As German discount giant Lidl prepares to enter the U.S. market, Save-A-Lot is bringing in a new chief executive officer whose resume includes a 13-year stint at the European chain.      The discount supermarket chain has appointed Kenneth McGrath as CEO, effective April 21, 2017. He succeeds Eric Claus, whose departure was described as a “mutually agreed” parting of the ways.   

Forman Mills is on a growth spurt — now it needs its point-of-sale (POS) to grow with it.   The off-price retailer has grown from a single store to a 36-store chain of “big box” warehouse-style stores across multiple states. As the retailer enters its next stage of expansion in connection with a recent investment from New York-based Goode Partners LLC, Forman Mills needed a front end solution that could support its growth, and drive more efficient checkout processes.  

Ralph Lauren Corp. is shaking things up—and cutting costs.   The company, which has been struggling with weak sales,  on Tuesday said it would reduce corporate staff, close its Polo flagship on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, and move its online platform to Salesforce’s CommerceCloud solution.    

A British lifestyle brand will open its first store in the United States this summer.   The White Company will open a 3,000-sq.-ft. flagship in the Flatiron section of Manhattan. Described as the first international flagship of the brand, the store will stock a curated selection of lifestyle, homeware and fashion products. A selection of The Little White Company products featuring white baby clothes and nursery equipment will also be housed in the space.  

Petco has acquired a digital pet services company and, in so doing, got itself an experienced tech entrepreneur to drive its digital initiatives.    Petco has purchased PetCoach, a pet advice web site and app that helps pet owners take better care of their pets, connecting them with veterinarians for personalized answers to their questions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.     

Canadian discounter Dollarama is upping its store growth plans—and by a considerable number.   The chain, which operates some 1,000 stores across Canada, has revised its long-term target from 1,400 locations to 1,700.   “This provides Dollarama with several years of additional footprint growth,” stated Neil Rossy, president and CEO, Dollarama, which sells a variety of merchandise at fixed price points up to C$4.00.