OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

New York City -- Marketers attempting to understand consumer habits that influence mobile marketing can get a revealing glimpse into the mindset of the mobile consumer through the newly released 2011 Mobile Consumer Report from Experian Simmons, a part of Experian Marketing Services.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart announced on Monday that it is expanding its check and card cashing services to accept more types of checks and take more forms of identification from shoppers.

Milan -- Luxottica Group announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Erroca, which operates more than 60 sunglass stores in Israel. Over time, the stores will be rebranded under the Sunglass Hut brand.

The deal marks Luxottica's entry into the Israeli sunglass specialty store market, although the company already has a solid presence in the country through its wholesale division.

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co.’s Best Buy Express plans to add nearly 100 kiosk locations in the next year spread over a variety of new channels.

The division has opened 150 Express locations in three years, and said it is adding two locations at Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, Calif., and multiple locations at college campuses, events and ferry hubs this year.

New York  City -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) has asked U.S. Bankruptcy Court in White Plains, N.Y., for a second extension of its deadline to submit an exclusive plan of reorganization to its creditors.

The supermarket operator is looking for an extension to Jan. 16, 2012, from a previous deadline of Dec. 31, 2011. In court papers, it said the extension  would provide it with "the very best opportunity for a successful exit from Chapter 11."
 

Plano, Texas -- A Wednesday report by the Wall Street Journal said that J.C. Penney Co. has launched a voluntary early-retirement program for certain employees over 55 years old.

New York City -- Sears Holdings Corp has named former FreshDirect executive Monica Woo to be VP and CMO, effective Aug. 15, according to Reuters. The post has been vacant since January 2010.

Woo will be responsible for the overall marketing, brand and advertising programs for Sears, according to the report. She most recently was the chief marketing and strategy officer of online grocer FreshDirect.
 

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings has announced the launch of two Latino social media channels: Facebook.com/SearsLatino and a Twitter handle @SearsLatino.