Two recent business stories that received a fair amount of attention in mainstream media channels raise some interesting questions about the trajectory of retailing in America. The National Retail Federation reported in the middle of last month that holiday sales increased just 3% to $626 billion. The lackluster performance fell well short of the association’s
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart on Friday announced plans to close 269 stores worldwide, including all 102 of its small-format Walmart Express stores in the United States. The company said the move is a result of a review of the nearly 11,600 stores in its global portfolio. That review, announced in October, was intended to ensure
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Tony Rogers has been named chief marketing officer at Walmart. Rogers, a 10-year company veteran who has been CMO of Walmart China for the past two years, succeeds Stephen Quinn, who is retiring. In China, Rogers initially reported to Greg Foran, then chief executive officer of Walmart China and now CEO of
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart confirmed earlier this month that the company’s head of marketing, Stephen Quinn, will be retiring from the company. According to Walmart spokeswoman Deisha Barnett, Quinn will step down on January 31. In conjunction with the Quinn announcement, Walmart said that it plans to hire former Target Corp. marketing chief Michael Francis
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart earlier this month introduced Walmart Pay, a mobile payment system that permits shoppers at Walmart stores to pay for merchandise with their smartphones. “Walmart Pay is the latest example, and a powerful addition, of how we are transforming the shopping experience by seamlessly connecting online, mobile and stores for the 140
The reshuffling of the retail landscape is proceeding, indeed accelerating, at a pace undreamed of as recently as five years ago. This is not a reordering of companies or priorities or strategies. It is a reordering of people. Most recently, Michael Francis, the legendary retail marketer, has signed on at Walmart, as the world’s largest
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Despite the emergence of multiple mobile payment platforms, Walmart has gone ahead and launched its own: Walmart Pay. The retail giant said Thursday that the debut of Walmart Pay makes it the only retailer to offer its own payment solution that works with any iOS or Android device, at any checkout lane
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Despite the emergence of multiple mobile payment platforms, Walmart has gone ahead and launched its own: Walmart Pay. The discount store giant said Thursday that the debut of Walmart Pay makes it the only retailer to offer its own payment solution that works with any iOS or Android device, at any checkout
WILTON, Conn. – Walmart is the top retailer and Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) is the top manufacturer in the 2015 PoweRanking from consulting firm Kantar Retail LLC. Each has led its respective category for more than a decade, noted Kantar, which launched the survey in the late 1990s with the aim of identifying industry
George Riedl, once Walgreen’s head merchant, has signed on with Walmart to run that retailer’s health care services. Thus, 2015, from a personnel standpoint, ends as it began, with jobs and career changes once deemed unthinkable.George Riedl, once Walgreens’ head merchant, has signed on with Walmart to run that retailer’s health care services. Thus, 2015,