Sales & Marketing

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax Inc. announced Thursday a new search engine on Officemax.com designed to speed up shopping and provide more accurate search and recommendation results.

In its first month with the new search engine, OfficeMax said that OfficeMax.com has already experienced an increase in conversion rate and customer satisfaction around site navigation, and more than a 60% increase in average revenue per visit.

Widespread media reports have Walmart discontinuing the sale of Amazon’s popular Kindle devices, which begs the questions what took so long and will we ever see a Walmart tablet.

Walmart’s decision to begin selling the Kindle was one of the more wrong-headed moves the company has ever made. A Kindle is Amazon’s version of a Gillette razor, essentially a device that provides consumers a portal to purchase Amazon’s other inventory, or in Gillette’s case, more blades. Target wisely gave Kindle the boot earlier this year.

Chicago -- A real estate report released Wednesday by Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s Urban Team found that much of Chicago lacks the type of product that today’s downsized big-box retailers are looking for.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target customers who receive the retailer's mobile coupons can now access them on their iPhone or iPod touch via Passbook.

“We’re thrilled to bring our guests the ability to use Target mobile coupons via Passbook on their iPhone and iPod touch,” said Phil McKoy, VP Target.com and mobile experience. “Passbook marks an exciting step forward as Target continues to seek the most innovative ways to deliver a great shopping experience to our guests.”

Foothills Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal Inc. said Thursday it has dropped its temporary shareholder rights plan, citing feedback from stakeholders, and has proposed to expand its board to include two nominees of activist investor Clinton Group.

In July, Clinton Group, which owns approximately 7% of Wet Seal, called for a sale of the retailer, expressing dissatisfaction with its performance, and made a play for four seats on the board. In response, the retailer adopted a temporary shareholder rights plan with a 10% trigger.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu has named Kathy Persian as SVP and chief information officer. Persian joined the company in February 2010 in the role of group VP retail and merchandising systems, and later moved to group VP corporate planning, analysis and business process. Persian was named to the CIO post following the decision by Wayne Shurts to accept a position with another company. Shurts joined Supervalu in April 2010.

Loveland, Colo. -- Bass Pro Shops has signed a letter of intent with Loveland, Colo.-based shopping center developer McWhinney to anchor a new northern Colorado development at Centerra.

The approximately 117,000-sq.-ft. Bass Pro Shops is intended to draw shoppers from Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and beyond.

“We are very excited to bring Bass Pro Shops to Loveland and be part of the Centerra development,” said Johnny Morris, founder and CEO, Bass Pro Shops.

PITTSBURGH — Dick's Sporting Goods has launced a new mobile application for iPhone and Android smartphones.

With the new Dick's Sporting Goods Mobile App, users will have access to all the benefits of the ScoreCard Rewards Program, the ability to locate Dick's stores in the area or make purchases directly from the app as well as be rewarded for engaging with the Dick's Sporting Goods brand on social media.