Sales & Marketing

CINCINNATI — Kroger achieved its 39th consecutive quarter of positive identical supermarket sales, and is raising its guidance as a result.

The company's total sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 17 increased 4.6% to $22.7 billion in the second quarter compared with $21.7 billion for the same period last year. Total sales, excluding fuel, increased 3.9% in the second quarter over the same period last year. 

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Twitter and tablets are quickly rising in importance to retailers’ e-commerce efforts, while email is losing steam. According to the second quarter 2013 Monetate E-commerce Quarterly, Twitter experienced the fastest growth among all social networks in referrals to e-commerce sites, moving from 5.4% of social referrals in second quarter 2012 to 9.64% in second quarter 2013 – a 77% gain.

TORONTO — Hudson's Bay Company's second quarter was characterized by strong same store sales growth at Hudson’s Bay and rising e-commerce sales, which were partially offset by a decline in same store sales at Lord & Taylor.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin’ Donuts announced that it has signed agreements with two franchise groups to begin developing Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the United Kingdom. The two agreements call for the development of 50 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in Greater London over the next five years, with an initial focus on North London and East London.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us is updating its in-store shopping experience and expanding its omnichannel initiatives for its more important selling season. The retailer detailed its plans on Thursday at a special holiday preview event in New York City.

Starting in October, Toys “R” Us will expand and enhance product categories that have experienced sales growth over the past few years, notably education, tablets and construction, while reducing the space dedicated to areas that have underperformed over time.

Brita has become an official supporter of the collaboration launched by the Partnership for a Healthier America and its honorary chair, First Lady Michelle Obama, to encourage everyone to drink water more often.  

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity Corp. plans to relocate its corporate headquarters and distribution center from Philadelphia, to southern New Jersey.

The company's corporate office operations (which are currently split between its headquarters at North 5th Street in Philadelphia and its offices in the Philadelphia Navy Yard) will move twelve miles from the current 5th Street headquarters facility to a completely renovated 74,000-sq. ft. building in Moorestown, New Jersey. The chain expects the move to occur in fall 2014.

Special guest judge, Marlon Wayans, was on hand to help Miller Lite select the winner of the brand's national comedy competition "Stand Up. It's Miller Time."