News Briefs

Big Lots Inc. is adding to the perks of its Big Reward loyalty program with a new mobile app.

The closeout retailer is launching a new app, available for current and new Big Reward members, offering features such as in-store rewards access, a personalized dashboard for tracking earnings, and exclusive notifications for special offers. 

The app, available for iOS and Android devices as of Friday, Nov. 8, also provides users with one-touch shopping, profile and credit card management, and weekly exclusive deals. In addition, "Rewards Ready" notifications inform users about new rewards. 

According to Big Lots, new features have been seamlessly integrated as an update its existing app to help ensure a smooth transition for current users.

"With the introduction of the Big Lots app, our Big Reward customers will have an enhanced and more personalized shopping experience," said Bruce Millard, senior VP of marketing and e-commerce at Big Lots. "We aim to make it easier for our customers to access their rewards, stay informed about the best deals, and manage their profiles and credit cards all in one place as they shop in-store and online for bargains to brag about."

Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in early September 2024 as part of a deal to to sell "substantially all" of its stores and business operations to private equity firm Nexus Capital Management. 

The retailer has since rolled out other digital offerings such as an affiliate program that offers select social media creators and publishers the chance to share limited-time closeout opportunities, bargains and promotions with their communities and earn a commission on referral sales to its e-commerce site.

[READ MORE: Big Lots offers 'influential' social media creators chance to earn commissions]

Sprouts Farmers Market is entering a new state in the Rockies.

The fresh, natural and organic foods grocer will open a location in Cheyenne, Wyo. on Friday, Nov. 22. The new store in Wyoming’s capital and largest city marks Sprouts’ first location in the state as it continues to expand its footprint.

“Access to fresh, healthy food is a vital component of any community’s quality of life, and I’m happy to welcome Sprouts to Cheyenne,” said Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins. “Sprouts adds another grocery option for our residents and will create around 100 jobs, further bolstering our local economy.”

In late August, Sprouts said it planned to open 21 stores before the end of the year, in line with the grocers’ goal of opening 35 new locations during its current fiscal year.

Sprouts plans to continue opening new stores throughout November, with locations opening in Palm Springs, Calif. on Nov. 8, in Studio City, Calif. on Nov. 15, and in Georgetown, Texas on Nov. 22.

[READ MORE: Harmons, Sprouts, Rosauers enhance e-commerce with Instacart]

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the new Cheyenne store at 6:45 a.m. The first 100 shoppers on Friday and Saturday will receive a free reusable goodie bag filled with special products and samples. The first 400 guests on opening day will receive a free long stem rose courtesy of Falcon Farms Floral. Giveaways and music throughout the weekend will also add to the festivities.

Phoenix-based Sprouts employs approximately 31,000 team members and operates more than 400 stores in 23 states.

The Kum & Go name will soon be a thing of the past.

Maverik, which purchased the Iowa-based, family-owned convenience store chain in April 2023 from the Krause Group, announced it plans to rebrand all Kum & Go stores, reported the Des Moines Register.

At the time of the acquisition, Kum & Go and Maverick each operated approximately 400 stores, for a combined footprint of more than 800 locations in 20 states across the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions.

Maverik is "in the process of rebranding Kum & Go stores, with the intent to unify our entire combined footprint under the Maverik brand,” the company said in a statement to the Register. Maverick did not provide a timeline for the rebrand, saying that "we are taking a thoughtful, market-by-market approach to ensure the best customer experience before confirming each state’s rebrand."

Kum and Go was established in Hampton, Iowa in 1959,  with a single gas station. It adopted the Kum & Go name in the 1970s. Co-founder Bill Krause, who died in 2013, told the Des Moines Register in 1993 that the K in Kum and Go stood for Krause and the G stood for Gentle.

A new survey from Walmart indicates when the discounter’s customers plan to start holiday shopping, what they want to buy and how much they plan to spend.

The survey of Walmart customers conducted by the company’s Walmart Data Ventures first-party customer data division in September 2024 indicates that 48% of respondents said they plan to set specific budgets for each person on their gift list this year. 

While 86% of respondents say price will play a big role in their gift buying decisions, most plan to keep their holiday budgets within a set range. Some of the most popular budget ranges for holiday-related purchases are:

• $100-$299 (14%)
• $300-$599 (31%)
• $600-$999 (22%)
• $1,000-$1,999 (19%)

When asked what type of holiday gifts they will prioritize this holiday season, top respondent replies included:

• Cheaper gift options: 43%
• Experiences over gifts: 22%
• More expensive, longer-lasting gifts: 13%

Close to six-in-10 (57%) respondents said they did not purchase or browse for holiday gifts or items during back-to-school shopping earlier in the year. However, many respondents still indicated they will start their holiday shopping this year well in advance, including:

• Four weeks or more in advance: 58%
• One to two weeks in advance: 29%
• Three to four weeks in advance: 9%
• One to six days in advance: 4%

In addition, 80% of surveyed members of the Walmart+ paid subscription program plan to take advantage of their exclusive ability to shop some Walmart Black Friday deals early this year.

[READ MORE: Walmart to kick off Black Friday early with celebrities, AI]

Costco Wholesale Corp. reported another monthly sales gain that included a big jump in e-commerce revenue. 

The warehouse retailer said its net sales rose 7.2% to $20.03 billion for the four weeks ended November 3, up from $18.68 billion last year. Costco noted that its results were were “negatively affected by a pull forward in sales" from consumer activity associated with the hurricanes and port strikes in September.”

Total company comparable sales increased 5.1%, rising 4.1% in the U.S. and 8% in Canada. Other international comp sales increased 7.1%. E-commerce comp sales surged 19.3%.

Total company comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange rose 6.5%, increasing 5.8% in the U.S. and 8.7% in Canada. Other international comp sales 8.4%.

Costco’s net sales for the first nine weeks were $44.65 billion, an increase of 8% from $41.33 billion last year.

Costco currently operates 892 warehouses, including 615 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 108 in Canada, 40 in Mexico, 35 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 19 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, two in France, and one each in Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

American Freight is going out of business. 

The retailer, which sells discounted home appliances, mattresses and furniture, has started store closing sales at all of 328 locations nationwide. Hilco Consumer-Retail is managing the sales for American Freight as the business winds down its operations nationwide. 

Earlier this week, American Freight parent company Franchise Group, whose portfolio also includes Vitamin Shoppe, Pet Supplies Plus, Buddy’s Home Furnishings, filed for bankruptcy protection. Under the restructuring agreement, all of the brands will continue operations except for American Freight.

In a statement, Franchise Group noted that American Freight has struggled due to “sustained inflation and macroeconomic challenges facing the large durable goods sector.” 

During the store closing sales, select American Freight financing and delivery services will remain available to customers, allowing for flexible payment and home delivery. Shoppers can save up to 30% off the lowest ticketed prices storewide. 

"Our goal is to deliver outstanding value to customers during this full chain closing sale," said Ian Fredericks, CEO of Hilco Consumer-Retail. "Everything is on sale and must be sold, and we recommend shopping early for the best selection."