Sales & Marketing

New York -- March was a so-so month for retailers, whose performance was impacted by unspring-like, cold temperatures in many parts of the country and a late Easter. (Easter falls on April 20 this year as opposed to March 31 last year.)

The eight retailers tracked by Thomson Reuters posted a 2.2% increase in March same-store sales, better than the expected 1.4% increase.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart will carry Wild Oats organic food items later in April with a new, more affordable price point on products covering a broad variety of categories. Wal-Mart estimates customers will save 25% or more when comparing Wild Oats to national brand organic products.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is teaming with the Cleveland Cavaliers for an unconventional promotion. The craft retailer will be distributing capes to fans at the second annual Superhero Night at the Cavs vs. Boston Celtics game Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena.

San Jose, Calif. – EBay Inc. has reached an agreement with investor Carl Icahn, ending the proxy contest before the company’s upcoming annual meeting of stockholders. Icahn is withdrawing both his proposal to separate the company’s PayPal business and his two nominees to the company’s board of directors.

Stein Mart said that its March sales were unfavorably impacted by the shift of pre-Easter selling from March to April this year, as well as cooler-than-normal temperatures in many parts of the country early in the month.

Stein Mart’s total sales for the five-week period ended April 5 were $136.3 million, compared to total sales of $135.4 million for the prior-year period. Comparable store sales increased 0.9%.

St. Louis - Panera Bread has unveiled a series of integrated technologies to enhance the customer experience at its restaurants. The new “Panera 2.0” initiative brings together new capabilities for digital ordering, payment, operations and consumption for patrons who choose to eat in as well as for those who order to go. In test for several years, the solution is now live in 14 of the chain’s locations and is slated to be deployed in nearly all locations over the next 36 months.

The Wild Oats brand will begin appearing on Walmart shelves this month as the retailer plans to offer 100 low priced organic dry grocery items.

Southfield, Mich. -- Kris Abrahamson has been named as VP retail consultancy of shopper marketing agency The Mars Agency. Abrahamson has more than 20 years experience in the consumer packaged goods industry and was most recently the senior director of innovation with PepsiCo's Global Nutrition Group.

As part of the retail consultancy group, she will drive strategic growth initiatives against The Mars Agency's clients' key retailers and lead innovation initiatives that will address evolving shopping behaviors affecting retailers today and in the future.