News

Engaging Customers with Personalized Videos
To be competitive, retailers must have a strong digital marketing strategy to be seen and heard, attract new customers, and build stronger relationships with existing ones. Spending on digital advertising is on the rise. In 2017, U.S. digital advertising is on pace to surpass expenditures on TV ads. Globally, more than 40% of media advertising budgets in certain markets are devoted to digital marketing, according to media company Magna.
CEO Spotlight: Chris Homeister, The Tile Shop
With home remodeling and housing starts on the rise, The Tile Shop is in a sweet spot. The specialty retailer of manufactured and nature stone tiles, which reported a 8.8% increase in net sales and a 4.9% increase in same-store sales for its first quarter, displays its collections in a showroom-like environment that includes full-room tiled displays and a design studio where customers can utilize 3D renderings to visualize their design ideas.

Food stamp cuts could cost retailers $70.7 billion

Proposed cuts in food stamp benefits could cost the the retail industry billions — with supermarkets and discounters taking the biggest hit. AlixPartners estimates that retail collectively stands to lose $70.7 billion during the next 10 years if the proposed cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly referred to as food stamps) turn into reality, CNBC reported. The budget proposed by the Trump administration calls for $191 billion in cuts to the program between 2018 to 2028.
Report: Staples to be split into three units

Sycamore Partners has a plan for its newest retail acquisition, Staples. The private equity firm, which purchased the office supply giant for $6.9 billion on Wednesday, plans to divide the chain into three separately financed units: U.S. retail; Canadian retail; and corporate-supply businesses, reported The Wall Street Journal reported. The three units will all remain under the same corporate umbrella.
C-store giant expands U.S. store footprint

Alimentation Couche-Tard has closed on the biggest transaction in its history. The Canadian company announced that it has completed its $4.4 billion acquisition of CST Brands. The deal will add approximately 1,300 stores to the Couche-Tard portfolio, including 666 locations in Texas.
Walgreens cancels deal to buy Rite Aid

Walgreens Boots Alliance has announced a new Rite Aid deal, effectively ending its nearly two-year quest to acquire the Camp Hill, Pa.-based drug store chain. The divestiture agreement with Fred's Pharmacy, whereby Fred's would buy 865 stores, is also terminated.
Amazon taking Prime Day to a new level
Home decor retailer cuts Q1 loss; online continues to grow

Pier I Imports reduced its loss in the first quarter amid a boost in its gross margin and other operational improvements. Pier 1 reported its first-quarter loss narrowed to $3 million, or 4 cents a share, from $6 million, or 7 cents a share, a year earlier. Its results beat expectations.
Analyst: New deal is ‘good compromise’ for Walgreens, Rite Aid — if FTC allows it

The news that Walgreens is to scrap its $9.4 billion merger with Rite Aid is unsurprising. The glacial pace of the Federal Trade Commission investigation and increasing signals that the federal government would disallow the merger have forced a rethink.
Five takeaways about the new Walgreens-Rite Aid deal

The drug store industry awoke Thursday morning to arguably the biggest story of the year — the news that Walgreens and Rite Aid had agreed to scrap their original merger agreement one more time, this time in favor of a much smaller, seemingly more manageable deal to purchase 2,186 Rite Aid stores for $5.18 billion in cash. In the first several hours following the announcement of the deal, Chain Store Age sister publication, Drug Store News identified five important takeaways from the blockbuster agreement.