Sales & Marketing

NEW YORK — Walmart is ditching plans to build three stores in Washington, D.C., after the city council passed a bill on late Wednesday setting a higher minimum wage for large retailers.

“This was a difficult decision for us — and unfortunate news for most D.C. residents — but the council has forced our hand,” said Wal-Mart spokesman Steven Restivo in a statement released after vote, which passed 8 to 5.

Boston – According to a new report from the Universal Commerce Innovation Exchange and Aite Group, “Strategies for Mobile Investments – Ensuring Success,” retailers need to think differently about how they achieve ROI from their mobile commerce strategies. This different mode of thinking includes:

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco has started the summer right, reporting sales of $9.92 billion for the month of June, the five-week period ended July 7, an 8% increase over the same period last year. 

For the 44-week period that ended Sunday, sales were $87.05 billion, also an 8% increase over the same period last year. For the month and the 44-week period, same-store sales rose 6%.

Austin, Texas -- Research results released Thursday by coupon site Offers.com found that 67% of U.S. parents with school-aged children plan to spend more than $100 per child on back-to-school shopping this year.

LOS ANGELES — Virtual Piggy has integrated its youth-friendly payment system with Claire’s Stores’ e-commerce website at www.claires.com.

Target Corp. appointed former senator and secretary of the interior Kenneth Salazar to its board of directors. He replaces Mary Dillon, who resigned her spot. 

Salazar, who recently began working for the law firm WilmerHale, served as a Democratic member of the Senate from Colorado from 2005 to 2009 and as interior secretary under the Obama administration from 2009 until earlier this year, when he was replaced by Sally Jewell. 

Boston – Rue La La is launching a shoppable "Sunday Supper" chef video series where products used by the chefs in the videos to prepare a dish will be available for sale on the site. Celebrity chefs featured in the videos will include Sam Talbot of Top Chef: Season 2 on July 14, followed by Top Chef: Season 3 winner Hung Huynh and Food Network's Chopped judge Amanda Freitag in future episodes. Each video will be accompanied by an online boutique featuring the kitchen and cookware used in the video, recipes and giveaways.

Woonsocket, R.I. – CVS is offering holders of the Veterans Advantage VetRewards card $2 off every $10 purchase of CVS/pharmacy brand merchandise in stores. To take advantage of the offer, members are verified at VeteransAdvantage.com for access to a special downloadable coupon good every day at CVS/pharmacy. This coupon offer complements the existing 10% online-only discount for purchases made on CVS.com for Veterans Advantage members that was launched in 2012.