News

MINNEAPOLIS — While many retailers are scrambling to attract last minute Christmas shoppers, some, including Target, are already looking ahead to Dec. 26.

Target announced that beginning next Monday, customers can save up to 50% off on such items as women’s and kids’ apparel, as well as home and holiday decor, in stores and online at Target.com. Doors will open at Target stores nationwide at 7 a.m. on Monday.

Enfamil Newborn baby formula was quickly pulled from shelves at 3,000 Walmart stores earlier this week following the death of an infant in Missouri, the Associated Press reported.

Walmart’s online business may have gained ground this holiday season, but Amazon.com doesn’t plan to cede its leadership position, and this week announced plans for two new distribution facilities.

San Francisco -- Christopher & Banks Corp. reported Thursday a loss of $28.2 million for the quarter ended Nov. 26, widened from a loss of $9.2 million in the year-ago period and reflecting a one-time charge.

Sales rose to $123.9 million, from $120.9 million a year ago, matching Wall Street expectations. Same-store sales for the quarter were flat. 

Stein Mart released restated third-quarter results Friday that showed an upwardly revised loss that wasn’t quite as bad as originally feared.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation give away so much money it is hard to keep track of it all and this was certainly evident during the holiday season.

On Thursday, the company announced another round of grants totaling $200,000 to 10 nonprofits groups as part of its “12 Days of Giving” Facebook campaign. Those grants mark the culmination of an innovating corporate giving campaign that integrated social media and resulted in a total of $1.5 million being awarded to 145 organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

C’mon people. Christmas comes the same time every year and every year there are those scrambling to make last-minute purchases. Walmart is looking to appeal to this shopper segment with some interesting solutions that leverage its multichannel capabilities and give new meaning to the phrase “last minute shopping.”

The company’s Pick Up Today service was being aggressively promoted with email marketing and social media efforts to remind gift-givers products ordered online by noon on Christmas Eve would be available for pick up in store by 6 p.m.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Friday by the Commerce Department showed that U.S. consumer spending edged up 0.1% in November, less than forecast and reflecting an economy that continues to struggle.

Incomes also grew 0.1% in November, the weakest in three months, after a 0.4% rise in October. The median estimate for spending in a Bloomberg News survey of economists called for a 0.3% advance.