News

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears may not be the first name that springs to mind when one thinks of retailers that leverage technology to reach out to digital-savvy consumers, but it's demonstrating that it can stay current with the latest digital trends. 

PITTSBURGH — GNC is no stranger to China, with more than 60 store-within-a-store locations in eight different major grocery, convenience and health and wellness chains in China. But two years after entering the market, the retailer is opening its first stand-alone location in Shanghai.

GNC plans on opening an additional 25 locations in China within the next 12 months.

DALLAS — Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s net sales for the second quarter ended June 30 were flat at $5.27 billion compared to the year-ago period. 

Sales adjusted to exclude the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and lost sales as a result of European strategic changes and pulp and tissue restructuring actions rose 3.

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Hasbro reported net revenues of $766.3 million for the second quarter ended June 30, a 6% decline compared to $811.5 million in 2012. Despite seeing growth across its girls, games and preschool categories, it was not enough to offset a decline in the company’s boys category. 

Digital coupons could be poised for greater growth judging from the warm reception industry leader RetailMeNot got when it offered shares to the public last week.

Shares of RetailMeNot surged 30% in the first hours of trading to more than $27 per share, representing a market cap of more than $1.3 billion, according to Norwest Venture Partners, a multi-stage investment firm which has a 20.5% stake in the company.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The competitive prospects of Spartan Stores and Nash Finch improved considerably on Monday when the two companies agreed to merge and create an enterprise with 177 stores, 22 distribution centers and annual sales of roughly $7.5 billion.

A new era in television technology emerged at Best Buy this weekend which takes screen thickness,  picture quality and price points to unprecedented levels.

Best Buy’s high end Magnolia shop in located inside its Richfield, Minn., store became the first U.S. retailer to sell LG Electronic’s OLED HDTV. The 55 inch OLED (organic light emitting diode) television features a super thin curved screen that is less than a quarter of an inch thick and retails for $14,999.

Toronto – Shoppers Drug Mart enjoyed a successful second quarter of fiscal 2013, reporting increases in net earnings, sales and same-store sales. Net earnings totaled up $141.8 million USD, up about 1% from $139.9 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Sales were about $2.45 billion, a 3.3% boost from the previous year. Same-store sales rose 2% during the quarter.

Seoul, South Korea – South Korean home shopping retailer NS Shopping is deploying mobile and analytics solutions from IBM to improve its omni-channel customer experience and relationship management.

NS Shopping currently sells its merchandise via television, catalogues and online, and will use IBM Smarter Commerce technology to integrate mobile and social channels into its retail environment.

San Francisco – On July 19, online transportation service provider Uber is offering a one-day promotion where mobile customers could use the Uber app to order on-demand ice cream from an ice cream truck.

App users in 33 global cities, including 22 in the U.S. and Canada, have a one-day “order ice cream” option on their app. If one of several ice cream trucks deployed in each city is available, customers can order a bundle of five to six ice cream treats with payment directly charged to their Uber account.