General Merchandise

NASHVILLE – ­Retailers are opening 4,080 more stores in 2017 than they are closing and plan to open over 5,500 more in 2018, according to a new research report from IHL Group.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — The back-to-school shopping season isn’t about one-stop shopping, The NPD Group reported Wednesday. Back-to-school shoppers make an average of 16 trips to purchase back-to-school related products between July and September, according to NPD’s receipt mining service, Checkout Tracking.

CINCINNATI — With millions of people expected to travel this Labor Day weekend, Procter & Gamble has released a new version of its Charmin SitOrSquat restroom finder mobile app. The popular travel app helps people find clean public restrooms based on user-generated ratings and reviews.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Walmart today announced the expansion of its global online marketplace to Walmart Canada's flagship online store, Walmart.ca. Through this program, 27 trusted, third-party sellers, curated by Walmart Canada now offer their products on Walmart.ca in categories ranging from home, baby, apparel, toys and sporting goods.

Walmart.ca attracts approximately 8 million unique visits per month.

SEATTLE — Amazon.com on Monday announced plans to open its second Oregon fulfillment center in Salem, Ore. The company recently announced other commitments to Oregon, including an upcoming fulfillment center in Troutdale. Amazon currently operates a sortation center in Hillsboro and Prime Now hub in Portland.

NEW YORK — In part two of Gordon Haskett's review of consumer behavior online, analyst Chuck Grom gives Amazon their due, as the online juggernaut "commands the majority of online traffic with an equal (or greater) share of household purchases when compared to all other e-commerce retailers combined," he said. But brick-and-mortar retailers shouldn't fret (too much), he added, because in-store sales still remain relevant, particularly in non-discretional categories.

PLANO, Texas — Crossmark on Monday named Mark Ayer president and CEO of Crossmark Canada. Ayer joined Crossmark Canada as SVP customer development in April 2017.

 ARMONK, N.Y. — IBM and SAP SE on Thursday teamed up to provide a co-innovated solution for the retail and consumer packaged goods industries to help both increase profitability and improve the consumer experience.