News

NEW YORK — Totsy, a leading private sale site aimed at parents, has grown its membership to five million and will expand its daily deal offerings with its acquisition of Mamasource, a leading daily deal site for moms.

Headquartered in New York, Totsy is a privately held company that connects its members with essential products and brands designed for expecting moms, parents, babies and kids at sample sale prices. Mamasource is one of the largest mom focused community and commerce sites on the Internet, founded in 2005 and

GLENVIEW, Ill. —  Kraft has joined with other leading advertisers willing to plunk down several million dollars for the opportunity to air a 30 second sport promoting its MiO brand water enhancer during the Super Bowl XLVII on February 3.

Purchase, N.Y. -- Total retail sales (excluding automotive) for December 2012 grew by 2.4% year-over-year, according to a SpendingPulse report released Wednesday by MasterCard Advisors, the professional services arm of MasterCard. (SpendingPulse reports on national retail sales and is based on aggregate sales activity in the MasterCard payments network, coupled with estimates for all other payment forms, including cash and check.)

Chicago -- National retail sales increased 2.5% and foot traffic also increased 2.5% when compared with the same two months last year, according to ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter of retail foot traffic.

ShopperTrak’s initial data indicates that shoppers spent $248.8 billion during this period, which marked the third consecutive year with positive total retail sales. It also was the second holiday season of the past three with positive foot traffic changes.

Las Vegas -- Walmart and Straight Talk Wireless, America's largest no-contract cell phone provider, announced that starting on Jan. 11, customers in more than 2,000 Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com will have access to the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 on Straight Talk's $45 no contract unlimited talk, text and data plan. In addition, Walmart will be offering customers who purchase the phone in the store, a no interest fixed-monthly payments special financing offer for only $25 a month with a Walmart credit card.

Redmond, Wash. – Tesco has chosen Microsoft Office 365 for its companywide collaboration and social platform. The U.K.-based retailer is committed to deploying Office 365 to its employees working at the company's headquarters, in the field and in stores, across all its locations in Europe and Asia.

Abilene, Kansas -- ALCO Stores and Revionics Inc. announced a multi-year partnership, which will support optimal pricing decisions throughout ALCO’s 217 stores.

Revionics Life Cycle Price Optimization solutions and Analytic Solutions will enable ALCO to design and execute regional, localized pricing initiatives, timing of markdowns, promotional pricing and analysis of customer market baskets and key volume items.

Boynton Beach, Fla. -- Designer Shoe Warehouse Inc., has selected VendorNet to provide ship-from-store and dropship management solutions.

VendorNet, a wholly owned subsidiary of GSI Commerce, an eBay Inc. company, is a provider of cross-channel fulfillment and supply chain technology. DSW will use VendorNet’s StoreNet Live to implement omnichannel retail capabilities, including brick-and-mortar store fulfillment for online sales.

SUFFERN, N.Y. — Ascena Retail Group has named Dirk Montgomery as its new EVP and CFO.

Current EVP and CFO Armand Correia is retiring after 21 years with the specialty retailer, which offers clothing, shoes and accessories for missy and plus-size women and tween girls, under the Justice, Lane Bryant, Maurices, Dressbarn and Catherines brands.

Just when things seem to be looking up for Sears Holdings, chairman Edward Lampert will assume the additional responsibilities of CEO following the revelation that current chief executive Lou D’Ambrosio will leave the company for family medical reasons.

News of D’Amrosio’s departure comes as the Sears Holdings preannounced improved profitability for the fist nine weeks of the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending February 2, D’Amrosio’s last day.