News

Trending: Smart homes and connected Americans
New York City - No big surprise that Americans are more connected than ever before, but the newest trend is toward “smart homes” as well. New research from Experian Marketing Services has found that nearly a third of all Americans use at least one type of smart or connected device and 14% of homes are now smart homes, employing connected lights, locks, thermostats, or electrical outlets, among others.
Meijer gives 213 customers free merchandise for holidays
Grand Rapids, Mich. - Meijer made the holidays very merry for 213 unsuspecting customers recently when those shoppers received a big surprise upon checkout – their entire shopping cart filled with gifts and groceries given to them as a holiday gift.

During the “Very Merry Meijer” event, one customer at each of the retailer's 213 stores across the Midwest was randomly selected on Dec. 13 to receive their purchases free.

‘Green Monday’ week sees revenue growth

Petaluma, Calif. - Retailers were seeing green the second week of December. For the week that included “Green Monday,” Dec. 8, retailers using the MarketLive e-commerce platform achieved a year-over-year revenue growth rate of 11.5%, while visits grew just 8.6%.
Macy’s breaks Santa wish list record in promo
Good things come to Sears shoppers who wait

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Consumers who haven’t started their holiday shopping yet have a friend in Sears. Sears, Roebuck & Co. will offer multiple sales events starting on Dec. 19, and announced Dec. 22 as the last day to order online and receive by Christmas.
Best Buy helps customers to holiday finish line

Minneapolis – Some customers are only midway through the race to finish their holiday shopping, some haven’t even left the starting line, but Best Buy is offering help to make sure they reach the finish line by Dec. 24. Best Buy Co Inc. is making thousands of products on BestBuy.com eligible for a free shipping upgrade.
Wal-Mart – 1 in 3 consumers will shop ‘Super Saturday’

Bentonville, Ark. – “Super Saturday,” the Saturday before Christmas (Dec. 20), looks to be a super day for retailers. According to an in-store customer survey conducted by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Dec. 13, 36% of consumers plan to shop that day.
McDonald’s reaches out to customers via beacons

Columbus, Ga. - McDonald’s franchises in Columbus, Georgia are integrating Bluetooth beacon technology from beacon solution provider Piper to deliver coupon offers, timely alerts, employment opportunities and customer surveys right as customers enter the establishments.
Rite Aid beats Street with Q3 earnings

Camp Hill, Penn. – Rite Aid Corp. beat Wall Street expectations with net income of $104.8 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2015, a 46% increase from $71.5 million the same period a year earlier. The improvement in net income resulted primarily from an increase in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and a lower last out, first in (LIFO) charge, partially offset by a higher loss on debt retirement.
Couche-Tard buys Pantry for $1.7 billion

Cary, N.C. – Canadian convenience store conglomerate Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., which operates stores under the Circle K banner in the U.S., has agreed to purchase The Pantry Inc., operator of the Kangaroo Express convenience/fuel chain, for $1.7 billion. Purchase price includes $861 million in cash and about $840 million in assumed debt.
Thieves use creativity, stupidity at Walmart

Two men were arrested after they faked a heart attack in order to steal toys at a Walmart in Central Florida.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Tarus Scott and Genard Dupree teamed up to steal expensive toys, including a motorized Barbie car, a Barbie Glam vacation house and a Leap Frog tablet. But it's how they stole $369 worth of toys that makes this story a little different.
Rite Aid boosts guidance after healthy Q3

Rite Aid is raising its guidance for 2015 after a big jump in same store sales lifted the company in the third quarter.

The company reported third-quarter revenues of $6.7 billion, an increase of 5.3%, driven primarily by same-store sales. Same-store sales for the quarter ended Nov. 29 were up 5.4% overall, including a 1.6% lift in front-end same store sales and a 7.2% increase in pharmacy same store sales.