News

Pet Supplies Plus in expansion drive
Pet Supplies Plus will target California as part of its strategic growth plan for 2016.

The nation’s largest pet franchise, which has more than 330 locations in 26 states, announced it will expand into the Golden State to grow its base of multi-unit franchise partners.
Dollar Tree misses in Q4 despite sales boost from Family Dollar
Dollar Tree on Tuesday credited sales at its Family Dollar division as helping to boost the company’s overall results for the fourth quarter. But the increase still fell short of analysts expectations.

Sales for the quarter ended Jan. 30 totaled $5.37 billion, a 116.7% increase from the year-ago period but still less than expected. The boost in revenue was the result of $2.68 billion in sales from the Family Dollar segment.

Survey: Stores help those who help themselves

As consumers become more tech-savvy, they are becoming more independent in their approach to in-store shopping.

According to a new survey of 682 consumers from store technology provider InReality, shoppers are past the digital "cool factor" and looking for digital implementations in-store that offer the same type of self-directed shopping experiences they get online.
Mobile POS market shows growth

The number of installed mobile POS units is growing rapidly.

Mobile POS devices surpassed 6 million units worldwide by the end of 2015, according to new research from IHL Group. The number of installed units grew by 64% during the year.

The vast majority of these units are being used in retailers below 50 stores in their chain. However, IHL reports it is beginning to see an uptick in enterprise mobile POS retail accounts.
Disney Springs gets big retail infusion — one with a Michael Jordan connection

The expanded Disney Springs (formerly called Downtown Disney) center in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., unveiled 30 new retail tenants that will be moving in when the project is completed.
Family Dollar helps Dollar Tree win customers in Q4

Dollar Tree says the integration of Family Dollar stores helped grow sales and profit in the fourth quarter.

For its fourth quarter ended Jan. 30, net sales at Dollar Tree were $5.37 billion, a 116.7% increase from the same period a year ago. The boost in revenue was the result of $2.68 billion in sales from the Family Dollar d. Same store sales increased 1.7%. Profit was $229 million, up by $22.4 million from a year ago.
Report: Sam's Club to overhaul grocery offerings

Sam's Club is building a team of regional U.S. buyers to bring in more local and organic groceries in order to attract wealthier customers and better compete with Costco.

According to Reuters,Sam's Club has hired a handful of buyers in Dallas and is considering putting teams in up to five other markets, John Furner, chief merchandising officer at Sam's Club, told Reuters. Until now, all of its buyers have worked out of company headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
AutoZone moves into the fast lane in Q2

Efforts to rework its distribution process netted big wins in the second quarter for AutoZone, which reported increases in same-store sales and profit.

The auto parts retailer posted net sales of $2.3 billion for its second quarter ended Feb. 13, an increase of 5.3% from the second quarter of fiscal 2015. Same-store sales increased 3.6% for the quarter. Net income for the quarter increased 8% over the same period last year to $228.6 million, while diluted earnings per share increased 14.2% to $7.43 per share from $6.51 per share in the year-ago quarter.
Aldi drops ban on credit cards

Fast-expanding grocery chain Aldi is making it even easier for consumers to shop its no-frills stores.

The European chain has announced it will now accept credit cards – including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express – at all of its stores across the country.
Starwood announces $50 million investment

Charlotte, N.C. -- Starwood Retail Partners announced a $50 million investment in an 11-acre parcel adjacent to Northlake Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company plans to build a 200,000-sq. ft. lifestyle component complementing the existing two-story mall. Construction is set to begin by early 2017.

The project will include retail, dining, entertainment, landscaping, parking and pedestrian friendly areas.