News

Economic uncertainty throughout Europe and the United States and political instability in the Middle East are putting an increased spotlight on developing markets, which are forging full-speed ahead and show no signs of slowing down, according to the 11th annual Global Retail Development Index by consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

Early indications are it will be a solid year for Back-to-School sales and that’s good news for Walmart. The company typically enjoys healthy seasonal sales, but this year it will be facing more challenging sales comparisons during the back half of the year as it begins lapping prior year same store sales increases. Click here.
 

The term “cloud computing” generally means anything that involves delivering hosted computing services over the Internet. Here, the word “cloud” is used to refer to the Internet, most frequently depicted in diagrams as a cloud.

Walmart’s EVP merchandising services, Pam Kohn, addressed members of the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce earlier this month. A recap of her remarks is available by clicking here.



 

Compared with most other industries, retail companies face shorter time horizons and tighter metrics. The pressure to perform is great, which perhaps explains why many retail firms are having trouble holding onto their top executives.

For example, one major U.S. retailer recently suffered the departures of a senior marketing executive, a division president and another executive VP, all within the space of a few months. One of those executives had lasted only five months, while another had a tenure of less than two years.

Ideeli will be able to further expand its capabilities, thanks to a $30 million investment from Credit Suisse and current institutional investors. According to the company, the new capital will be used to strengthen its infrastructure and fuel the flash-sales retailer's growth prospects.

Sustainability is a top priority for Walmart, and energy efficiency is central to its efforts. One of the chain’s three primary long-term objectives is to use 100% renewable energy. Walmart is actively working to meet that goal with projects that employ a wide range of technologies, from solar power to fuel cells, in development across the country.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is taking “The Amazing Spider-Man” fan experience beyond the big screen with a selection of merchandise inspired by the summer action movie.