News

NEW YORK — Target is beta testing a new app that allows users to save on items and share deals on Facebook.

A Bullseye View, Target's online magazine, announced the introduction of Cartwheel, where people can find offers on products by browsing the system or looking at friends' activites, and add up to 10 of their favorites to a list. Once a red check appears in the corner of the offer card, the item can be purchased, and customers can either print a special barcode from their desktop computers or use their mobile devices in-store to access it.

Thanks to an agreement between Meijer and Voyager network owner U.S. Bank, Fleet drivers can now use their Voyager network fuel cards at Meijer gas stations in the Midwest.

Cardholders presenting U.S. Bank Fleet Cards or those issued by any of the bank’s Voyager network partners can now make purchases at 189 Meijer fueling sites in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and outdoor fun, so Sam’s Club is taking the opportunity to promote healthy skin and weight management with a series of preventative health screenings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11. 

NEW YORK — Macy’s is getting help from singer, songwriter and dancer Usher in curating the concept, music and design of the 37th annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. The retailer’s fireworks spectacular is the nation’ largest patriotic pyrotechnic display.

RESTON, Va. — E-commerce sales grew 13% year-over-year to $50.2 billion, marking the fourteenth consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and tenth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, according to comScore. It was also just the second quarter on record to surpass $50 billion in spending.

The survey also revealed that nearly half (48%) of time spent in the retail category occurred on mobile devices, with smartphones (34%) outpacing tablets (14%).

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Acosta Sales & Marketing, a leading full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods industry, is partnering with the Wounded Warrior Project to hold the 2013 Believe in Heroes campaign. 

Philadelphia -- Wet Seal Inc. agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a federal racial discrimination lawsuit that accused retailer of firing black employees because they didn’t fit the retailer’s “brand image.”
   
The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund represented the plaintiffs in the class-action effort. The lawsuit alleged that former top Wet Seal executives denied equal pay and promotion opportunities to black store managers or removed them outright, replacing them with white employees.

Chicago -- Dillard's has selected OpinionLab to extend its omnichannel “Voice of Customer” program including its digital, mobile and in-store experiences, with precise insight into what its customers want and need.

Target’s new “Cartwheel” Facebook shopping app is a great concept – use the world’s most popular social media platform to help generate in-store traffic. But the execution is clunky. It kind of reminds me of the second “Star Wars” trilogy that came out around the turn of the millennium – the back story of Darth Vader was rich with potential, but George Lucas polluted a great dramatic story arc with floppy-eared aliens and lame attempts at political commentary.

New York -- TJX Cos. has joined the growing ranks of retailers who no longer report monthly same-store sales. On Thursday, the retailer announced that it will report results on a quarterly basis going forward. Also, as previously announced, Ross Stores will no longer be reporting same-store sales after the April results.

That will leave 11 U.S. retail chains reporting monthly sales, down from a peak of 68 in 2006, according to Reuters.