Supply Chain & Merchandising

In a big step to grow its business in China, Walmart has entered into an agreement to acquire a 5% stake in JD.com, China’s second largest e-commerce company. 

Rite Aid Corp. reported disappointing first-quarter earnings and sales results in its first quarter amid pressure on pharmacy reimbursement rates.   The chain reported a loss of $4.6 million for the quarter ended May 28, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier. Excluding certain items, adjusted net income was $14.5 million, or 1 cent per diluted share, compared with 2 cents a year earlier.   The results fell short of Wall Street expectations.   

The POS has never been the most flashy or talked-about solution in the retail IT environment.   From manual cash registers up to client/server-based terminals, the basic idea of the POS as a fixed box that takes payment in and spits receipts out stayed pretty much the same.  

Two private equity firms have thrown their hats in the arena to buy Cabela’s.   The firms, New York-based Apax Partners and San Francisco-based TPG Capital,  are each meeting Cabela’s management as part of an auction for the 82-store chain, the New York Post reported.   Bass Pro Shops is also interested in Cabela’s, and has partnered with Goldman Sachs Group’s private equity arm to make an offer for its rival, according to Reuters.  

When it comes to providing a satisfactory customer experience, online retailers have to deliver on their promises.   Sixty-six percent of e-commerce shoppers consider delivery a decisive factor when shopping online, according to a new study by enterprise delivery experience solution provider Convey. In addition, 70% of consumers report they are unlikely to return after a poor delivery experience.  

The Cartwheel couponing app from Target, which launched in 2013, is getting its biggest makeover yet.   Having been used by more than 25 million customers to create a total savings of more than $500 million, Cartwheel will now offer a more personalized experience, among other upgrades.  

Vitamin Shoppe on Thursday announced that it has hired Jason Reiser as COO effective July 11.    

Walmart is trimming administrative positions in some 500 stores in the West.   According to multiple media reports, the discount giant will cut three backroom accounting and invoicing positions at each store, for a total of 1,500 jobs. Affected employees will not be laid off, but instead offered front-of-store roles such as pharmacy technician or assisting pickups of online orders. Invoicing tasks will be shifted to corporate headquarters in Arkansas, while accounting functions will be automated.