Supply Chain & Merchandising

By Stephen Springham, senior retail analyst Planet Retail
 
After the horror show of Q1, Walmart had so much to prove domestically in Q2. And it has again come up short. A U.S. comp store decline of 0.3% was below earlier management of a 0.2% decline, guidance that was endorsed as recently as the Annual Shareholder Meeting in June. This marks the second quarter that U.S. comps have been both in negative territory and below guidance. Those accusing Walmart of ‘crying wolf’ in its bullishness (ourselves included) may feel vindicated.

Littleton, Mass. -- Dover Saddlery, a multichannel retailer of equestrian products, announced the hiring of James Cullen to the newly created position of executive VP.

Cullen has over twenty five years of leadership experience in operations, finance and marketing, with particular expertise in the retail and distribution sectors including most recently, among others, Bakers Footwear Inc., and Reeds Jeweler, Inc.

As discount retailers such as TJ Maxx and Saks Off Fifth get comfortable in e-commerce territory, closeout retailer Tuesday Morning is bowing out of the digital space, according to reports.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s continues to focus on funding its e-commerce growth following results for the second quarter ended August 3. 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores lowered its full year profit forecast early Thursday after reporting weaker that expected second quarter U.S. same-store sales at its U.S. division and suggested global economic conditions remain challenging.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — July sales at Walgreens experienced an 8% boost. They totaled $6.03 billion, up from $5.59 billion for the same month in fiscal 2012. 

Comparable-store sales increased by 6.3% in July. Calendar day shifts positively impacted total comparable sales by 1.4 percentage points, while generic drug introductions in the last 12 months negatively impacted total comparable sales by 1.8 percentage points.

Target stores in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec will feature pharmacies under the Brunet banner based on an agreement reached with the McMahon Distributeur pharmaceutique division of Canadian food and drug retailer Metro, Inc.

The agreement comes as Target is preparing to open the first of 25 stores this fall in Quebec. Target entered Canada earlier this year and plans to open a total of 124 stores in its first year of operation.

Seattle – Starbucks Coffee Company is opening its 500th location featuring Clover brewing, with plans to double the number of Clover locations globally by the end of 2014. Starbucks has offered its Starbucks Reserve coffees, a line of rare and exotic small batch single origin coffees brewed with the single-cup Clover system, since 2010.