Top Retailers

Within the past month, two Ohio-based traditional retailers announced plans to test-market automated retail vending machines. It’s not so much thinking outside of the box as it is figuring out how to get that box to where the consumers are, wherever they are — the airport, the hospital, convention centers, exercise facilities, on a college campus or in a hotel. 


In a recent campaign, Walgreens used LocalResponse’s Direct Response to reach customers in-store to disseminate store promotions, such as flu shots and coupons for Kraft Foods’ Halls cough drops. Average click-through rates for Direct Response are greater than 50%, according to LocalResponse. Specifically, those consumers who “checked in” at their local Walgreens, be it through third-party apps like FourSquare, Google Places or Yelp, were targeted with a Halls-branded message.

CINCINNATI — Kroger announced that its board of directors have declared a quarterly dividend of 11.5 cents per share.

The dividend will be paid June 1 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 15.

The number of patients with diabetes is not decreasing any time soon, and one of the most important fronts in the battle lies at the pharmacy counter.


MINNEAPOLIS — Target has donated $37,500 in monetary support and product to assist with tornado relief efforts underway in the central United States. The donation includes $25,000 cash for the American Red Cross to aid their efforts and an additional $12,500 that can be used either as cash or product donations to local organizations in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri.

MINNEAPOLIS — Kantar Media on Wednesday reported that overall retailer advertising expenditures increased 1.6% and retailer participation in Free Standing Insert coupon promotion pages increased 30.7% over calendar year 2011, versus the corresponding year-ago period. Additionally, digital coupon events increased 40.4% during this period across the leading retailer websites monitored by Kantar Media.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. –– Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens, has announced that it now is offering sports and camp physicals for $39. The physicals, regularly $60, are available until October and administered by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark's board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of 16.25 cents per share of common stock.

The dividend is payable May 3 to shareholders of record on April 23.