Sales & Marketing

Port Washington, N.Y. -- Price trumps sales and special deals, customer service, and convenience as a factor in deciding where to shop for the majority of U.S. consumers, according to a survey by The NPD Group.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Big Lots has lowered its comparable-store guidance for its first quarter, and now expects them to be slightly negative compared with its prior guidance issued on March 2. The company's prior guidance estimated first-quarter comps would be up 2% to 4%.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation has named Bill Thorne SVP communications and public affairs. He will join NRF on June 1 to oversee the organization’s industry and public affairs communications strategy, including NRF’s Retail Means Jobs campaign, a multi-million-dollar initiative to demonstrate the power of retail to America’s economy and the career opportunities within the industry. Thorne currently serves as senior director, community affairs at Walmart.  

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens launched a new online tool called “Find Your Pharmacist,” that allows customers to select a pharmacist by matching their health care needs with the areas of expertise, specialties, languages and clinical backgrounds of Walgreens pharmacists.

Cincinnati -- Macy’s will open a store in Sarasota, Fla., in fall 2014. The two-level, 160,000-sq.-ft. Macy’s will be an anchor of the new Mall at University Town Center, which is due to begin construction later this year.

Macy’s currently operates three stores in the Sarasota-Bradenton market – at Southgate Mall, Sarasota Square and DeSoto Square.
 

Toronto -- Sears Canada Inc. said Tuesday it has agreed sell its Cantrex Group operations to Nationwide Marketing Group.

Sears Canada will maintain ownership of appliance brand Corbeil Electrique.

Cantrex was purchased by Sears Canada in 2005 in order to further develop its merchandising, buying, and logistics services in the furniture and appliance sectors. Corbeil became part of the Sears portfolio through this purchase and recently Sears has announced its plans to expand Corbeil's operations to the Greater Toronto Area this year.

Bentonville, Ark. -- In response to the New York Times article about compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Wal-Mart VP corporate communications, David Tovar on Tuesday made the following statement:

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is investing more than $12 million in schools in 2012 through its library makeover program, and said it plans to give more than $1 billion for education by the end of 2015.

As part of its 2012 library makeover program, Target will renovate libraries at 32 elementary schools and revisit each of the 118 schools that previously received a Target School Library Makeover to provide additional reading resources for students and teachers.