News

New York -- Kroger is partnering with Liberty Mutual on a new loyalty card program for shoppers, Loyalty360 reported Thursday.

Kroger will reward loyalty program members with fuel points for purchasing insurance, according to the agreement.

Petco is putting a spotlight on the plight of military dogs who are left behind with an uncertain fate in a potentially hostile country.

The Petco Foundation has awarded $250,000 to the United States War Dogs Association to help return, reunite and provide medical care for retiring military and contract working dogs serving overseas with their handlers.

When it comes to the rapidly changing retail landscape and how retailers should respond to engage shoppers, it turns out that it's not all about the app.

A new study by Forrester Consulting commissioned by RetailMeNot Inc. shows that while today's consumers overwhelmingly prefer to access the Internet on their mobile devices, only 30% use retailer applications to purchase products. In fact, 60% of consumers have two or fewer retailer apps on their phones, and 21% have none.

Kohl’s has joined other major retailers this week reporting disappointing earnings and anemic same store sales growth.

The Wisconsin-based retailer posted a profit of $130 million in the second quarter ended Aug. 1, below the $232 million in the prior-year quarter. Earnings per share were 66 cents, compared with $1.13 in the second quarter of 2014. Same store sales grew a measly 0.1%. Overall revenue increased by just 0.6%, to $4.27 billion for the quarter.

New York -- It’s been a rough week for department stores.

Kohl’s Corp. joined Macy’s and Dillard’s this week in reporting disappointing earnings and weak same-store sales growth.

Kohl’s posted a profit of $130 million in the second quarter ended Aug. 1, down from $232 million in the prior-year quarter.

Move over Apple and Google — and make way for Samsung.

Seattle -- Finally some good news in the department store sector.

Nordstrom Inc. on Thursday reported better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter earnings and sales.

The retailer reported net profit of $211 million, or $1.09 a share, for the quarter ending Aug. 1, up from $183 million, or 95 cents a share, in the year-ago period.

Off-price retailer Stein Mart is accelerating the implementation of its store growth strategy just as thrifty shoppers increasingly flock to discounters.