General Merchandise

NEW YORK — Club retailers could be in for a good time over the next three years, according to a new study.

The study, by Deloitte, found that consumer products executives expect growth through warehouse club retailers to outpace those of other retail channels, including mass merchandise, supermarkets and online retail.

CHICAGO — SymphonyIRI Group on Friday named Piyush Chaudhari president of the Americas. Chaudhari will report directly to Andrew Appel, SymphonyIRI’s president and CEO.

DALLAS — Paper-products manufacturer Kimberly-Clark has appointed Jennifer Sepull as its chief information officer and VP information technology services, the company said Monday.

Sepull, who will report to SVP and CFO Mark Buthman, previously was VP and chief information officer of the information systems division at American Honda Motor Co. She also previously worked for IBM and pursued several business ventures.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — HP this week announced that customers can now print directly from their smartphone or tablet to more than 8,000 Walgreens stores through the HP Public Print Locations network.

By downloading the free HP ePrint Service iPhone app, users can order prints of their photos and pick those photos up from a local Walgreens in as little as an hour.

PHOENIX — Amid a growing interest nationwide in buying domestically made goods, a new online retailer makes "Made in USA" it's primary selling point.

Shop & Buy American Made brings together products from U.S. manufacturers, artisans and small businesses, ranging from home decor to clothing and accessories.

BUFORD, Ga. — "I can't wear this thing." That's the sentiment from some patients when their doctor presents a fracture boot to them after a leg injury. Most often, it's not simply an aesthetic choice. The slight discrepancy in leg length while wearing a fracture boot can cause patients intolerable pain and discomfort. The removable, reusable and adjustable Evenup shoelift equalizes the induced limb-length discrepancy caused by fracture walkers, cast boots or a thick-soled wound-healing shoe.

NEW YORK — Despite caution among consumers, retailers wrapped up 2012 with a healthy holiday shopping season, according to a new report by a retailing trade group.

The National Retail Federation said Tuesday that holiday retail sales increased 3% over the year before, to $579.8 billion. December retail sales increased 0.8% seasonally adjusted from November and 2.1% unadjusted year over year. Nevertheless, the 3% increase was still below the NRF's projected 4.1% growth. Meanwhile, nonstore holiday sales grew 11.1%.

Rather than take off for the holidays, the editors of Drug Store News took a look at the year ahead and the trends, issues and headlines that will makes the news in 2013.

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