Top Retailers

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that it is making it easier for consumers to shop this holiday season with the launch of its holiday shopping site, SamsClub.com/gifts, and an enhanced mobile application that together streamline on-the-go and at-home shopping.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is offering customers an early, exclusive preview of its Black Friday specials.

Customers that sign up at Walmart.com for Walmart's Facebook page will be able to view top assortments across a variety of categories. Walmart also will hold an early holiday sale beginning Nov. 5.

Walmart recently announced it was bringing back its Christmas layaway program.

NEW YORK — Rite Aid and LifeScan kicked off the Rite Track Diabetes Tour in New York on Tuesday with a special appearance by celebrity chef Sam Talbot.

The tour, which runs through November — to mark American Diabetes Month — and December will visit more than 30 locations across the Northeast in a specially outfitted RV and offer free diabetes testing, resources and materials.

BOSTON — Employee wellness experts from Babcock & Wilcox, Caesars Entertainment and others spoke to the synergies that such a company as Walgreens' Take Care Health Systems can create across their health management strategies during a panel discussion here last week at the National Conference on Health, Productivity and Human Capital hosted by the National Business Group on Health.

Representing businesses that collectively employ more than 120,000 workers, the panelists discussed a number of emerging themes in employer-sponsored health care, including:

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati's ABC affiliate station on Monday featured Kroger's Scan-Bag-Go system, a handheld device that customers use to scan bar codes as they shop. The device keeps a running tally of the purchase, and reduces the checkout process to a matter of seconds.

MINNEAPOLIS — The unexpected announcement that Target EVP and CFO Doug Scovanner will retire on March 31, 2012, has investors speculating about the reasons for his departure following the recent exit of other key executives.

Analysts at Bernstein Research pointed to the fact that no successor has been named, suggesting that the retirement was not a long-planned event. However, the firm said it believed that despite the unexpected news, this appeared to be a true retirement and doesn't anticipate seeing Scovanner in a CFO role at another major company.

PHOENIX — The Lily.B Skincare line has landed a second pilot launch in 20 Costco stores around the nation, the beauty company has announced.

In keeping with the Lily.B philosophy to “bring beauty to all the lives we touch,” Bishop is partnering with Toys for Tots and will donate $1 of every eye cream sold in Costco stores.

In addition, Lily.B was selected last week to be featured in the exclusive Country Music Awards' talent lounge. Founder Liz Bishop will be in Nashville, Tenn., for the CMA Awards from Nov. 7 to 9.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is getting an early jump on Black Friday this year, announcing that it will open its stores at midnight on Nov. 25.

“The holidays bring hectic schedules and tight budgets, so extending store hours and offering lots of additional ways to save makes Target a great choice for affordable, one-stop holiday shopping,” Target EVP stores Tina Schiel said.