Sales & Marketing

When Craig Herkert left Walmart a few years ago to become president and CEO of Supervalu the situation that unfolded earlier this week at the grocer was not what he had in mind.

Seattle -- Nordstrom and British fashion brand TopShop said Thursday they have formed a partnership to launch TopShop and TopMan in-store departments in 14 Nordstrom stores, as well as on Nordstrom.com beginning Sept. 10.   

The joint venture makes Nordstrom the only large U.S. retailer to sell a broad assortment of the British fashion brands' merchandise in-store and online.

TopShop and TopMan have flagship stores in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Los Angeles (opening spring 2013).

Retailers scaled back on their promotional efforts in June this year when compared to last year—there were decreases in the number of circulars released by the majority of retailers, as well as a decrease in  the number of pages per circular.

The holiday hype has begun, and Target this week launched one of the first salvos, announcing an innovative partnership with 24 designers and the upscale department store chain Neiman Marcus.

With recent reports indicating Best Buy Founder and former Chairman Richard Schulze is not expected to present a buyout option to the board in the immediate future, some of the buzz about the iconic electronics retailer has died down. But the handwringing and public speculation about Best Buy’s future has me thinking about what will—or perhaps, should—come next for the brand.

After a weaker-than-expected showing in June, Target needs a solid performance in July to deliver on its second quarter sales and profit expectations.

June same-store sales increased a modest 2.1%, well below a 4.4% increase in May, but the deceleration didn’t cause the company to adjust its second quarter guidance. The company expects second quarter earnings adjusted to exclude expenses related to its entry in Canada to range from $1.04 to $1.14 and earnings that include the Canadian costs to range from 94 centers to $1.04.

Seattle -- Tommy Bahama has partnered with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce, a provider of global e-commerce services to U.S. retailers, to immediately expand the Tommy Bahama’s international reach by delivering goods to 100 countries around the globe.

LOS ANGELES — Katie Bayne, president and general manager of sparkling beverages for Coca-Cole North America, has been elected to the American Film Institute's board of trustees.