Sales & Marketing

Stronger-than-expected sales from a number of retailers in June is adding credence to a recent forecast that this year’s back-to-dchool season could be the strongest in the past five years, which is good news for Walmart as it looks for a strong ending to its second quarter.

Shoppers continue to face a lot of economic headwinds this back-to-school season, but one forecaster has seasonal sales growing by 6.2% to $467 billion, the most since 2006.

New York City -- The International Council of Shopping Centers is forecasting an increase of 3% to $39 billion in total sales over the three-month back-to-school shopping season.

According to ICSC on Thursday, sales for the back-to-school season -- typically the second-largest driver of the year -- are predicted to be healthy.

Sears Home Services has entered into agreements with three branches of the military to provide delivery and installation services for merchandise sold through their stores in the continental U.S.  After success with initial pilots, Sears began the nationwide launch on June 8,  at various Navy, Army, and Air Force Exchanges that sell home improvement services such as siding, windows, cabinet refacing, kitchen remodeling, roofing, carpet, and upholstery cleaning, air duct cleaning and garage door installation and repair.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart that it will be the exclusive retailer for the new Gordon Ramsay Everyday kitchen collection. The collection will debut in stores this fall and will include cookware, dinnerware, cooking utensils and small kitchen appliances.

New York City -- Most retailers surprised Wall Street with better-than-expected monthly sales results in June, as bargains led shoppers to spend more. June is the second most important month on a retailers' sales calendar behind December. It is June that stores typically clear out summer merchandise to make room for fall goods.

MINNEAPOLIS - The 4.5% increase in same-store sales Target reported for June was at the high end of the company’s expectations and came on top of a prior year increase of 1.7%. The gain was driven primarily by an increase in average transaction size while growth in the overall volume of transactions appeared to moderate somewhat.

Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said he was very pleased with the company’s performance at the upper end of a guidance range that called for a low-to-mid single-digit improvement.

New York City -- Discounters and warehouse clubs turned in robust performances in June, led by Costco Wholesale Club, whose same-store sales in the United States rose 12%, while internationally same-store sales jumped 18%. Excluding the impact of inflation in gasoline prices and stronger foreign currencies, Costco said same-store sales in June rose 8%. Its results beat expectations.

Benbrook, Texas -- The City of Benbrook, Texas, announced Wednesday a new partnership with customer analytics firm Buxton to develop a new regional shopping center The Trails Town Center.

The public -private partnership will build a 1.5 million-sq.-ft., open-air, regional shopping and entertainment development projected to generate $375 million in annual retail sales and provide 6,250+ jobs.