News

Starbucks and Lyft teach retailers a lesson
A unique arrangement between Starbucks and ride-sharing service Lyft should serve as a blueprint for the rest of the retail industry when it comes to developing unconventional partnerships that lead to new growth possibilities.
Office Depot leveling BTS playing field
Retailers tend to be at their charitable best during key seasonal periods and that’s been the case with Office Depot and back-to-school season for the past 15 years.

Smart shoppers using smart phones this BTS season

The pervasiveness of smartphones is making this back-to-school season the most technology-influenced ever, and a new study from Synchrony Financial provides fresh insight on the impact digital tools are having.
Food City redefines shopper engagement

A Food City supermarket in Bristol, Va., has given new meaning to that old merchandising adage, “stack it high and let it fly,” by creating the world’s largest pineapple display.
Lowe’s Canada keeps growing

Lowe's Canada announced that in addition to completing the acquisition of 12 former Target sites, the company also plans to open two more locations in Ontario. Construction is currently underway in Ancaster and Mississauga, representing an additional investment in excess of approximately $38 million (C$50 million.)
Amazon swings to rare profit in Q2

Seattle – Sales growth outpaced that of expenses during second quarter 2015, leading to a rare report of positive net income at Amazon.com Inc. Amazon reported net income of $92 million, compared to net loss of $126 million the same quarter the prior fiscal year.
Starbucks shows perky performance in Q3

Seattle – Starbucks Corp. reported impressive financial performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2015 that could be described as downright perky. Net income jumped 22% to $626.7 million from $512.6 million the same quarter a year earlier, with higher pretax earnings offsetting higher income tax charges to produce profit growth.
True colors: What a CFO needs to know about paint

CSA: What is one of the first things a CFO should know when bidding out a paint project? JG: There are many factors that go into a store remodel, and paint is one that is generally seen as a wholly separate line item in the construction specs. And with paint, the first thing people tend to think about is the cost of the paint itself.
K-VA-T picks up 29 Bi-Lo stores

Abingdon, Va. - K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. is expanding in Tennessee and Georgia. K-VA-T, parent company of the Food City supermarket chain, will acquire 29 Bi-Lo stores located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Northwest Georgia from Southeastern Grocers. K-VA-T intends to continue to operate all of these stores under the Food City banner and hire the vast majority of their store associates.
Loblaw swings to profit, will shutter 52 stores

Brampton, Canada – Loblaw Companies Ltd. swung from loss to profit in the second quarter of fiscal 2015, but still plans to improve profitability even more. Loblaw reported net income of $185 million, compared to a net loss of $456 million the same period a year earlier.
Study: Advertising primed Amazon Prime Day shoppers

Seattle – The sales success of the July 15 Amazon Prime Day sales event did not happen by itself. A new IPSOS survey of 1.005 U.S. consumers commissioned by Cumulus Media/Westwood One has revealed advertising drove significant awareness for Prime Day.
Moms can get tooth wipes at Wal-Mart

Bentonville, Ark. – Busy moms who need tooth wipes, or maybe more well-known baby items, have a new resource in Wal-Mart. In a post on the official Wal-Mart blog, Diana Marhsall, VP of baby for Wal-Mart U.S., says the retailer is expanding the products and services for moms (or anyone else) shopping for baby needs.