Sales & Marketing

Walmart offered its own version of the Amazon Prime Day online sales event last summer, and now is directly taking on Amazon Prime. The discount giant is piloting a two-day version of its paid ShippingPass unlimited online delivery program. Normally, customers pay $50 per year for the ability to obtain three-day delivery of more than 1 million items Walmart.com with no additional fees.

Even luxury department stores got no love from shoppers in the first quarter. Following a pattern set by Macy’s and Kohl’s, Nordstrom reported dismal results for the first quarter, including a steep drop in profit, with the only positive sign being the company’s off-price division. The retailer lowered its full-year outlook.

The typical shoppers takes many steps along the way toward a purchase, and the mobile and social channel are increasingly part of the route. According to a new study of more than one billion brand and customer interactions from customer journey management provider Kitewheel, “State of the Consumer Journey 2016 Report.,” a year-over-year comparison of 2014 to 2015 data reveals that mobile apps represent the fastest growing channel, with interactions increasing tenfold from 2014 to 2015.

Furniture manufacturer Herman Miller will continue its transformation from a maker of modern office furniture to a lifestyle brand with the opening of its first retail store. The store, opening in late 2016, will be located in the company’s recently opened flagship in Manhattan’s Gramercy neighborhood. The non-retail components of the flagship—the Herman Miller and Geiger showrooms—are already open, by appointment.

Walmart is escalating competition with Amazon’s Prime service. The discounter’s online subscription ShippingPass program, which is still in pilot, will begin offering delivery in two days rather than three, Bloomberg reported.

There will not be a tattoo parlor in the new 365 by Whole Foods Market chain. But there will be less products, less employees and more bright color accents compared to a traditional Whole Foods—and there will also be a robot, according to a report in The New York Times.

Mark Horgan has been named executive vice president and chief investment officer at Brixmor Property Group and been give a wide range of responsibilities as the newest member of a revamped senior leadership team.

Wayfair Inc. is turning inward to give shoppers a new view of its wares.