Data & Analytics

Bentonville, Ark. -- A report by the Associated Press on Monday said that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. CEO Mike Duke was compensated with an $18.1 million pay package in 2011, down 3% from the prior year.

According to AP, the pay decline is attributed to a smaller performance-based cash bonus for the year.

Denver -- Research results released Tuesday by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research found that, despite a shopping list being a tool to stay on budget and eliminate unnecessary purchases, nine out of 10 shoppers still buy items not on their list.

The shopper behavior study, called The Checkout, showed that 66% of those who purchase off-list items were motivated by a sale or promotion. Thirty percent said they found a coupon, and 23% wanted to pamper themselves.

Retail facades and storefronts have come under increased scrutiny in recent years for the important role they play in brand identity. Chain Store Age talked with Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope’s Kent Baumann about trends in building envelope solutions and how the industry is evolving.

Solid-state lighting took center stage at the SPECS Sustainability session, “LEDs: Perception and Reality.”

Speaker Leigh Savage, national accounts manager, GE Lighting, debunked many of the myths that surround LED lighting. They included:

• LEDs produce no heat at all. FALSE

• LEDs are more efficient than any other light source. NOT NECESSARILY.

• LEDs are still too expensive to use in retail applications. FALSE

The recent updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design were detailed at the SPECS session, “The ADA: 20 Years +1.” The session, part of the Tenant Improvement Construction/Remodeling workshop track, also gave a brief overview of the law and its enforcement.

According to the speaker, more than 200 private ADA lawsuits are filed in U.S. Federal Courts across the United States each month. The suits are filed mainly by disability organizations, disability rights advocates and law firms.

Recovery is a relative term when applied to retail real estate. It’s taken a couple of years of determined optimism, but most in the industry have now reconciled themselves to the realities of the new world order. A world where capital is cautiously invested and most retailers, even those that are opening new stores, have flattened growth rates. Gone are the days of expansive, unrestrained development — replaced instead by measured, deliberate decisions and a renewed focus on redevelopment, relocation and re-evaluation of portfolios.

Of the common areas hosted by a mall, the busiest has become the virtual one. Increasingly, consumers frequent mall websites to check out promotions at their favorite retailers. Website views are nothing new — but the escalation in mobile connectivity presents a revolutionary opportunity for retailers.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — DreamWorks has become the latest studio to offer its titles through Walmart's in-store, disc-to-digital service powered by Vudu. At more than 3,500 Walmart stores, customers can convert such DVD and Blu-ray titles as Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon into digital copies that can be accessed from any web-enabled device.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Walmart board of directors is poised for an infusion of fresh, and young, talent when shareholders vote to approve a slate of directors that includes Google’s VP of local and maps.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Walgreens and Car Charging Group on Monday announced the expansion of EV charging services to 13 Walgreens locations in Orlando, Fla., and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.

"Walgreens dedication to the EV movement is unmatched by any other major retailer," Car Charging Group CEO Michael Farkas said. "Walgreens commitment to providing EV charging services to its customers nationwide is a testament to its support of environmental sustainability and of electric vehicle use."