News

New York -- Google is reportedly expanding its same-day Google Shopping Express service to Manhattan and Los Angeles, according to the New York Post.

The service strives to make same-day deliveries from Fairway, Walgreens, Target, Costco and other retailers to anyplace in Manhattan for $4.99 per store, the report states.

The article says that the service, first launched in San Francisco last year, will expand to Brooklyn and Queens in the coming months.

Stamford, Conn. -- Online retailer Bluefly, which sells discounted brand name apparel and accessories, has selected Pitney Bowes to help expand its global reach.

The retailer is using Pitney Bowes's global ecommerce software and international shipping services to help offer a seamless and convenient cross-border purchasing experience for consumers. Pitney Bowes will handle global shipping, including customs, taxes and pricing.

San Francisco -- Intel Corp. said it has hired senior Staples executive Steven Fund to oversee its global marketing, effective June 2. He will be responsible for marketing strategy, communications, social media and advertising duties.

"As our industry and our business is changing, we need to change the way we develop, build, and market our products, and Steve is going to be a key asset for us as we move forward," CEO Brian Krzanich said in a statement on Monday.

It has been about five months since the Target data breach made the vulnerability of retail POS data a hot topic. Investigation has since shown the Target breach did not involve POS terminals. However, high-profile thefts of customer payment card data from Target and other retailers including Neiman Marcus, Michaels and Sally Beauty Supply have highlighted the need for U.S. retailers to adopt the global Europass, MasterCard and Visa (EMV) standard for accepting payments from cards that store consumer information on secure embedded microchips, rather than on magnetic stripes.

By Chris Horacek, VP, BravoSolution, the supply management company

New York -- Consumers have “no regrets” when it comes to dropping national food, beverage and household brand names from their shopping lists. In fact, nine-in-10 shoppers stick to store brands. Those are among the findings of a new survey Deloitte.

According to Deloitte’s American Pantry Study, 88% respondents say they have found several store brands that are just as good as national brands and that allow them to feel as though they are saving money without giving up anything.
 

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. said that its same-store sales rose 7.6% in April, boosted by Easter-driven growth in front-end sales.

The company’s total sales rose 8.8% to $6.49 billion in the month of April, up from $5.96 billion in the same period of last year. Pharmacy sales accounted for 64.5% of total sales for April.

The search is under way for a new CEO at Target following the revelation Monday morning that Gregg Steinhafel was no longer chairman president and CEO effective immediately.

On an interim basis, Target CFO John Mulligan will serve as president and CEO and current board member Roxanne S. Austin will serve as non-executive board chair. To advise the board on its search for a new CEO the firm of Korn Ferry was retained.

Staples is in the process of acquiring PNI Digital Media, a leading innovator in digital media solutions for retailers, for CDN$1.70 per share, representing a net equity value of approximately CDN$73.9 million.

The purchase share price represents a premium of 31.8% over the closing price of CDN$1.29 of the PNI shares May 2 on the Toronto Stock Exchange and a premium of 28.9% over the 30 day volume weighted average price of the PNI shares on the TSX for the period ended May 2.

Kmart Pharmacy is working with Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy to give Kmart customers and Shop Your Way members access to specialty medications, bringing specialized support for a variety of patient conditions, including but not limited to: HIV, Crohn's disease, anemia blood modifiers and Hepatitis C.