Sales & Marketing

New York -- Learn how Chico's FAS is staying ahead of the information evolution and providing personalized customer interactions at a Chain Store Age webinar on Thursday, Oct. 18 ( 2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT). Bob Murray, architect of Chico's Store Technology, will discuss such top-of-mind imperatives as loyalty, mobile, and seamless digital connections with the customer in the omni-channel market space.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by the Commerce Department showed that retail sales in the U.S. climbed more than anticipated in September, boosted by unexpected increases in household spending.

Sales advanced 1.1% in September, on the heels on a 1.2% increase in August that was the biggest since Oct. 2010. The median forecast of 77 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 0.8% rise in September.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. has appointed Phil Jones, formerly president of its west coast region, to lead its retail channel for independent garden centers and hardware co-op stores as SVP independent channel.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General has added several name brand items to its toy aisles this year.

“Offering our customers the name brand toys they want at great prices is a priority for Dollar General,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s EVP, division president and chief merchandising officer. “Shoppers will be delighted by the hot toys and classics that are in our stores this season.”

A few of the name brand toys featured at Dollar General include:

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart and Humana have teamed up again to help Medicare beneficiaries afford their prescriptions. With annual enrollment open until Dec. 7, 2012, for 2013 Medicare plans, the Humana-Walmart Preferred Rx Plan announced that it offers one monthly plan premium of $18.50 a month for beneficiaries in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., regardless of where they live.

By Mark Williams, Best Buy

In August, we at Best Buy announced that we were joining a cadre of other major retailers in an effort to build a mobile-commerce solution that can improve shopping and paying for customers and merchants alike.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax has launched a new line of pens under its TUL brand.

"Over the past eight years, TUL has become the preferred premium brand of writing instruments and desk accessories for many of our customers because of the great design, performance and value it provides," said Ronald Lalla, EVP and chief merchandising officer at OfficeMax. "Our new collection of TUL pens provides both consumers and business customers with multiple designs that deliver exceptional writing experiences time and time again."

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. received its highest score ever from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which represents 655 institutional investors with $78 trillion in assets, for its performance and approach to the disclosure of climate change information.