Pier 1 In-store Pickup, Potential Borders Buyers, Wal-Mart Suit Dismissed
After a successful nationwide soft launch of its new buy online/pick up in store program, Pier 1.2Go, the retailer will begin actively marketing its capability next week, according to RIS News.
Pier 1 is also on track for a summer 2012 launch of its e-commerce enabled website, Pier 1.2You, which will allow customers to order products online and choose from among multiple delivery options.
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Jahm Najafi and Alec Gores, who hail from Iran and Israel, respectively, are separately negotiating to buy Borders out of bankruptcy proceedings.
Legal & Regulatory
- With the dismissal of a sex-discrimination lawsuit brought on behalf of 1.5 million women who have worked at Wal-Mart, the Supreme Court on Monday significantly tightened the rules for how a large group of individuals can join together to sue a company for alleged harm done to them.
- Workers voted not to have a union in a Valley Stream, NY Target store, but the United Food and Commercial Workers said it would seek a new election.
Stats & Research
- The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers close to 3.1 promotional emails on average during the week ending June 17, 2011, according to the Retail Email Blog.
- Ninety-five percent of consumers reported that exterior appearance is important in selecting a store to shop in the most recent Morpace Omnibus survey.
- Nearly 28 million US web users visited sites in the Flowers/Gifts/Greetings category in May 2011 as Mother’s Day approached, up 15% from the previous month, according to comScore [pdf].
- Fifty-two percent of all smartphone owners recall ads they encounter in mobile apps, with that number dropping to 40% when asked about ads encountered while surfing the mobile web, according to Compete data.
Business & Finance
- TJX shareholders overwhelmingly approved the company’s compensation for top executives in their first “say-on-pay” vote at last week’s annual meeting, the retailer disclosed.
Promotions & Appointments
- Michael J. Donnelly has been named SVP, Merchandising of The Kroger Co., where he had been serving as president of its Ralphs Grocery Company division.