Sales & Marketing

Total U.S. shopper traffic in retail stores and malls for May 2012

Retailers saw an uptick in foot traffic last month, a welcome change of pace after a slow April. May retail foot traffic increased 1.6% over the previous month. Two holidays in May, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, drove the increase, but they weren’t enough to outpace the same period last year.

Greenpeace has released its latest "Carting Away the Ocean" report, and Walmart should be pleased with where it ranked on the list. With a score of 5, Walmart placed 12th (out of 20), just hight enough to earn an, or "passing," rating. While that may not seem so great, it is important to keep in mind that only two retailers, Safeway and Whole Foods received green, or "good" ratings for their scores of 7 and 7.1, respectively -- the first time any retailer has recieved such distinction.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's same-store sales increased by 1.1% in May, a lower-than-expected increase that may be due to underlying economic and industry factors.

The results for the five weeks ended June 2 included a 1.3% increase in front-end comps and a 1% increase in pharmacy sales over May 2011. Same-store prescription count increased 2.6%. Total drug store sales for the period increased 0.3% to nearly $2.5 billion, compared with $2.45 billion in May 2011.

Vancouver, BC, Canada -- Lululemon Athletic Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the fiscal first quarter surged 40% to $46.4 million, compared with $33.4 million last year, but lowered second quarter and full-year forecasts have alarmed investors.

Revenue for the quarter surged 53% to $285.7 million, beating Wall Street’s expected $274 million, and same-store sales rose 25%. Online sales nearly tripled in the quarter.

BENTONVILLE, Ark — Walmart has teamed up with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Marvel Entertainment to offer customers the ultimate Spider-Man experience weeks before the release of The Amazing Spider-Man, in theaters July 3.

Dallas -- Tuesday Morning Corp. said Wednesday it has ousted CEO Kathleen Mason and will launch a search for a new chief executive.

Mason was named president and CEO in 2000 and has come under fire as the closeout retailer has suffered slowing sales and widening losses.

Tuesday Morning also announced that executive VP and COO Michael Marchetti has been promoted to president and COO and will service as interim CEO until a successor for Mason is found.

New York -- Eugene Ferkauf, founder of the E.J. Korvette chain, died Tuesday at the age of 91, said Yeshiva University, where he was a longtime former trustee and benefactor, the New York Times reported.

"He was a brilliant entrepreneur, innovator and pioneer of the discounting concept," said Burt Flickinger, III, managing director of the retail consultancy Strategic Resource Group, in the report.

The retail industry lost one of its legends this week when Eugene Ferkauf, founder of the E.J. Korvette chain of stores passed away at his Manhattan home.

Before Sam Walton or Harry Cunningham opened their first discount stores 50 years ago, Ferkauf established the principles of discount retailing with his stores in the New York area. The first Korvette’s store opening in 1948 and at its peak the company operated 45 stores.