Pilot Pen G2 Edge

Issue 03-27-2017

Target set to retool

NEW YORK — Target Corp. vowed to update hundreds of stores and make other investments in its business after it delivered a disappointing 2016 in terms of sales and earnings. The Minneapolis-based company pledged to spend $7 billion over the next three years to remodel more than 600 of its 1,800 stores, accelerate the expansion

Top merchant, marketer appointed by Walgreens

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has appointed Joseph Hartsig as chief merchandising officer and Adam Holyk as chief marketing officer. The chain also named Steve Turner vice president and chief information officer. All three will start in their new positions on April 1. Hartsig and Holyk will report to Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) co-chief operating

Walmart is testing ‘endless aisle’

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Stepping up its battle against Amazon.com Inc., Walmart is piloting an “endless” toy aisle in selected Texas stores. The retailer has deployed touchscreens in toy departments to link shoppers to all inventory. Products that are not in stores can be ordered online. “We’re testing how to interact with the customer differently, understanding

Retail sales edge up in February

WASHINGTON — U.S. retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in February compared with the month before, the National Retail Federation said earlier this month. NRF also calculated that February’s sales were up 0.8% on an unadjusted basis from a year earlier. The numbers exclude automobiles, gasoline stations and ­restaurants. “Sales growth held up well,

(R)Tech Center for Innovation debuts

ARLINGTON, Va. — An innovation center aimed at helping retailers explore the business applications of virtual reality, artificial intelligence and other technologies is being launched by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and Accenture. With the new (R)Tech Center for Innovation, Accenture and RILA will conduct joint research and bring together retailers and technology start-ups

NRF initiative targets tech

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation and the Object Management Group (OMG) announced earlier this month that they had formed a partnership to manage some activities performed by the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) division of NRF. “This arrangement will allow NRF to focus on ARTS’ core mission of collaboration, education and research while

Exec turnover costly for retail

Exec turnover costly for retail

The movement of mass retailing executives continues, with a number of high-profile departures from some of America’s largest retailers. In some cases the moves involve companies that are struggling to right themselves after a period of indifferent performance. All the more reason to ask why. Are the departures centered on quality-of-life issues, involving remuneration and

Pharmacy advocates are forced to adapt

Pharmacy advocates are forced to adapt

A powerful late-winter storm earlier this month derailed the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ ambitious plans for RxImpact Day on Capitol Hill. Snow, sleet and freezing rain in Washington, D.C., and more severe conditions northward up the East Coast prompted cancelation of the annual event, which would have brought together some 400 industry advocates,