News

Despite the uncertain economic environment, retailers are continuing to invest in green measures, according to a new report by RSR Research. What’s more, the number of retailers who believe that environmentally responsible initiatives are born out of good business sense is on the rise, up to 61% in 2010 from 49% the previous year.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy has launched its new CVS Express Photo App, which enables Facebook users to order prints from their Facebook albums without leaving the website, with prints ready for pickup in about an hour at their local CVS/pharmacy.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the U.S. Commerce Department said that inventories in the United States rose 0.7% in October, less than forecast. The rise was restrained by the biggest drop in retail stockpiles in more than a year as merchants had trouble keeping up with surging demand.

The increase in inventories compared with a 1.4% jump in sales in October that was the biggest gain in seven months, the Commerce Department said. The September increase in stockpiles was revised up to 1.3% from a previously reported 0.9% advance.

While such retailers as Kohl’s, Walmart and Office Depot were receiving accolades for their sustainability efforts the past few years, Target was seldom mentioned in the same breath. Target wasn’t exactly destroying the planet, but it was far less vocal and precise than others about its efforts in the area of sustainability. Not any more. The company last week established some clear goals regarding resource usage, waste elimination and carbon footprint reduction and a time frame in which to achieve them.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to be up 9% in December over the same month last year, and 2010 should end with a 17% increase over last year.

Cary, N.C. -- C-store chain The Pantry reported Tuesday that net income for the quarter ended Sept. 30 dropped to $8.5 million, compared with $12.5 million in the year-ago period.

Merchandise revenue for the fourth quarter increased 12% overall and 5.7% on a same-store basis from last year’s fourth quarter.

Washington, D.C. -- Tuesday’s report by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed a fifth straight month of sales gains in November for U.S. retailers. Monthly retail sales figures for November were up 0.8% over October and 7.7% over November 2009.

Retail sales excluding auto sales were up 1.2% over the previous month and 6.7% over November 2009.

Department stores were the big November winners, recording the biggest sales rise in two years of 2.8%.

If the eyes are the window to the soul, then Walmart’s suppliers are the window to its future thanks to the truly unique relationship the retailer enjoys with its trading partners. Walmart brought new meaning to the concept of collaboration when it pursued a strategy of data transparency decades ago that enabled fact-based decision making.