The Albertsons loyalty program debuted a new points and rewards system on April 1. The “for U” program first launched in 2021. Going forward, it will use a refreshed process that the grocer says will streamline how customers accumulate and redeem points when they shop. In changing the for U program, Albertsons will implement a single points-based system, double the amount of time allotted for earning points and add a new automatic option for converting points directly to cash. Albertsons is No. 26 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of North America’s leading retailers by online sa ..read more

Lowe’s Cos. Inc. and DoorDash announced a partnership in which the delivery service will offer on-demand delivery from more than 1,700 of the home improvement retailer’s stores nationwide. This marks DoorDash’s first time offering delivery for the home improvement retail category. Lowe’s is No. 11 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s database ranking North America’s largest online retailers. It is also the second-largest retailer in the Top 1000’s Hardware & Home Improvement category, behind The Home Depot Inc. Lowe’s DoorDash partnership “Just in time for spring, consumers can shop for ..read more

Walmart has big plans to grow Walmart Connect — the retailer’s U.S. advertising business — this year. “The role of our advertising business is earning increased attention — especially after the announcement of our agreement to acquire VIZIO, our rollout of new in-store experiences, and pilots with major media partners,” Walmart Connect senior vice president and general manager Rich Lehrfield said in a press release. Walmart ranks No. 2 in the Digital Commerce 360 Top 1000. The Top 1000 is a database ranking North America’s leading retailers by online sales. These are Walmart’s Connects plans f ..read more

Skin care is becoming a bigger category for holiday sales, according to Beekman 1802 CEO Jill Scalamandre. “It used to be body and fragrance, fragrance numero uno, then would come body, and then hair and then skin,” Scalamandre told Digital Commerce 360. “Now, skin is in the same place as hair and getting close to body.” The COVID-19 pandemic “played a big part” in skin care’s growth as a segment, Scalamandre said. People were at home and not wearing makeup. As a result, the makeup category suffered during the pandemic, but the skin care segment grew. “Now, a lot of people are going away from ..read more

Effective immediately, musical instrument retailer Guitar Center has appointed Kristin Shane as its new executive vice president, chief merchandising and marketing officer. Shane will report directly to Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto, according to a March 19 statement. She “will oversee the integration of marketing and merchandising functions to enhance end-to-end customer experience,” the statement said. Her responsibilities will include guiding: Product Promotions Visual merchandising Omnichannel experience Activations “Kristin’s impressive track record of market and sales growth, coupled ..read more

DoorDash will now offer consumers more options for beauty and cosmetics products, it announced March 18. The delivery service is expanding its relationship with Sephora and adding new partnerships with MAC Cosmetics and Sally Beauty. Through relationships with these retailers, DoorDash says it will offer customers on-demand delivery of beauty, hair, makeup and nail products in under an hour. “We see consumers ordering from retail categories more than ever before and trying out new categories earlier in their DoorDash journey,” said Shanna Prevé, vice president of partnerships at DoorDash. “As ..read more

One soccer specialty retailer has acquired another. Soccer Post Holdings, LLC, the largest soccer specialty retailer in the United States, has acquired Soccer Pro Inc. The acquisition of Soccer Pro will give Soccer Post 47 specialty stores across the U.S. Soccer Pro Inc. — not to be confused with SoccerPro.com — was founded in 1988. Soccer Pro Inc. operates retail locations across Northern California, whereas SoccerPro.com was founded in 2004. “We are thrilled to complete the acquisition of Soccer Pro, expand our presence in Northern California, and welcome Soccer Pro to the Soccer Post f ..read more

U.S. online grocery sales fell 10.5% year over year in February 2024, according to data from the monthly Brick Meets Click and Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey. The results framed shifting behaviors for U.S. consumers. February online grocery sales totaled $7.9 billion in the U.S. That comes after January online grocery sales grew slightly. December 2023 sales decreased slightly. Brick Meets Click and Mercatus conducted the survey at the end of February 2024 with 1,755 respondents who shop for groceries online. Results compare with those from a February 2023 survey of 1,745 online grocery ..read more

The Kroger Co. announced March 7 that it grew digital sales in its fiscal fourth quarter ended Feb. 3, as identical sales excluding fuel decreased slightly. In a March 7 earnings call with investors, CEO Rodney McMullen said a “strong and growing store network is important.” “Many of the ways we go to market in digital still comes through the store channel,” McMullen said. “We know that our most profitable customers shop both in-store and online. So it’s important to be there for our customers in a way they choose to shop with us.” Kroger is No. 8 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s databa ..read more

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing to block Kroger Co.’s proposed $24.6 billion acquisition of Albertsons. The FTC called the deal “anticompetitive” in a statement released Feb. 26. The two grocery retailers first proposed the deal in 2022. Kroger was slated to buy Albertsons at the time, pending regulatory approval. The merger would allow the chains to create a “premier omnichannel food retailer,” Kroger said in a statement at the time. Together, the retailers would operate more than 5,000 stores across 48 states, with nearly 700,000 employees. The suit comes just days before the FTC ..read more