Walgreens December Sales Increase 10.2 Percent “Total front-end sales increased 3.5 percent compared with the same month in fiscal 2014, while comparable store front-end sales increased 2.6 percent. Customer traffic in comparable stores increased 0.3 percent while basket size increased 2.3 percent.” Read more

 

Costco’s Web Site Loaded Quickest Over the Holidays by April Dahlquist at Internet Retailer. “Costco’s site loaded on average in 2.581 seconds on a desktop computer…A Harris Poll survey Dynatrace commissioned found that 46% of all smartphone and tablet users indicated that they will abandon an app or web site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.” Read more

 

Target’s next designer partnership: Lilly Pulitzer by Kavita Kumar. “In order to announce its next designer partnership, (Target) rented out the Four Season Restaurant’s pool room in midtown Manhattan. It shrouded the designer’s identity in secrecy until guests, including New York fashion editors, arrived, building up the suspense by dangling clues on signs in the hallway leading up to the room.” Read more

 

Boston: Whole Foods to open on former Herald site in South End by Dan Adams at Boston Globe. “The store’s decor pays homage to the property’s print journalism history. Old typesetting trays adornthe walls, and the original silver Boston Herald sign, for years a landmark to motorists passing by on the expressway, hangs over a long cooler filled with craft beer. Historic editions of the Herald and its predecessor newspapers serve as the backdrop to aisle signs.” Read more

 

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Reports show online shopper sentiment mixed on in-store pickup option by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “Critics of the StellaService study said the report misses the point on some level because many times the main objective with in-store pick-up is to save the shipping costs or eliminate boxes being left unattended on at their front door during the day.” Read more

 

J.C. Penney posts a healthy holiday sales increase of 3.7 percent by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. “Penney’s shares were trading 15 percent higher in the after market.” Read more

 

Can Apple Do for Wearable Ads What Facebook Did for Mobile? by Christopher Heine at Ad Week. “So we asked digital marketers what brands…are most likely to test Apple Watch advertising this year…Robinson then rattled off 10 names: Sephora; Target; McDonald’s; Best Buy; Barnes & Noble; Macy’s; Nike; Whole Foods; Cialis; and Humira…And Brian Cohen, evp, group director at Catapult eCommerce, said to keep an eye on Smoothie King and Dick’s Sporting Goods.” Read more

 

Higher shipping rates and the Amazon effect by Heesun Wee at CNBC. “Tiny products including everything from dime-size ear buds to a jar of eye cream under one ounce — wrapped in bubble wrap, then encased in giant boxes — has consequences. There’s a ripple effect to the broad transportation sector, the environment and ultimately consumers.” Read more

 

Discount chains emerge as holiday winners while clothing suffers by Matt Townsend at Bloomberg via Charlotte Observer. “In December, mass merchants posted their best monthly sales gain in more than two years, according to figures collected by research firm First Data. Revenue rose 8.3 percent, the biggest increase since August 2012.” Read more

 

Lucky’s Market brings in new president by L.Wayne Hicks at Denver Business Journal. “(Steve) Black’s prior experience in the industry includes key roles at Sprouts Farmers Market and at rival Sunflower Farmers Market.” Read more

 

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