News

Walmart is set to announce its 2015 growth priorities next week and in a clear sign of an accelerating Neighborhood Market rollout, the retailer has created a new organizational structure made up of seasoned operators and accomplished merchants.

GoDaddy, a leading technology provider dedicated to small businesses, is ready to roll out its first online store to the public, after successful beta testing.

The company enlisted Spree Commerce, an open source e-commerce platform, in February to launch the online store in beta. More than 5,000 merchants have opened stores and sold millions of dollars of products and services, all over the world, according to the company.

The GoDaddy Online Store serves small businesses without the technical resources necessary to deploy an e-commerce storefront.

More than 362,000 votes were cast online in an innovative approach Walmart used to determine how $3.7 million in donations would be allocated among food banks nationwide.

President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Giant Eagle executive chairman David Shapira to the role of governor for the board of governors of the United States Postal Service.
 

Following September sales that were above its guidance, Cato Corporation is increasing its third-quarter guidance.

The company reported sales of $79.7 million for the five weeks ended Oct. 4, a 9% increase over sales of $72.9 million for the five weeks ended Oct. 5, 2013. Same-store sales for the five-week period increased 5% from the prior year.

Sales for the 35 weeks ended Oct. 4 were $669.5 million, up 7% from the same period last year. The company's year-to-date same-store sales increased 4% from the prior year.

Family Dollar’s fourth-quarter results were affected by decreased customer traffic, prompting chairman and CEO Howard R. Levine to point out that the company is still in the early stages of its turnaround plan.

New York -- Target Corp. is enhancing the digital experience for its customers. The company is revamping its existing flagship app (with new versions for both iPhones and iPads) and its Cartwheel coupon app, and is also developing a new app for pharmacy, with rollouts scheduled for later this month. The retailer is also in the middle of updating its gift registry app.

New York -- Delivery Agent announced a deal with online retailer Overstock that will enable consumers with Smart TV and connected device homes to shop for items on Overstock directly from their television via Delivery Agent's ShopTV t-commerce platform.

Running now through Oct. 15, the "Overstocktober" campaign will enable viewers to buy products directly from Overstock television commercials.

By Jon Winsett, NPI

As we barrel towards the holiday season, few retail IT executives have as much time as they’d like to work on the challenges that will be waiting for them in first quarter 2015 — including limited funding for IT innovation. Retailers are projected to spend more in the coming year, but nearly three-quarters of that budget will be committed to maintaining the status quo. That leaves little to fund game-changing new IT initiatives that can drive competitive advantage, customer loyalty and profits.

Toronto -- Canadians are eager to embrace future-forward payment options like wearable devices and smartwatches, according to a new study by PayPal Canada that was conducted by Nielsen. Close to a third of Canadians (29%) have used their mobile phone to make an online purchase while on-the-go, and nearly a quarter (23%) having used their mobile phone in-person at a store to make a purchase.