Retail

Fayetteville startup grows amid pandemic

About seven years ago, Colton Knittig was grilling for friends when he needed a light to see what he was cooking, but the porch light was out. Meanwhile, he held…

Walmart adds former AT&T chairman to board of directors

Walmart has added Randall Stephenson to its board of directors effective March 5, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission late Friday. Stephenson will become the…

Greg Smith, head of Walmart supply chain, to exit the company

Greg Smith, executive vice president of supply chain at Walmart, is leaving that post effective April 4 for a position at the medical device and service company Medtronic, according to…

LIVSN releases trail pants, raises nearly $500,000 on Kickstarter

Fayetteville-based outdoor apparel company LIVSN Designs recently launched its new trail pants on Kickstarter and has raised nearly $500,000 in the crowd-sourced campaign, which ends tonight (March 4). After quickly…

Used vehicle prices to remain higher; has ‘offsetting impacts’ on Car-Mart, analysts say

Used vehicle prices are expected to remain higher and might continue to increase as more stimulus money is released and new vehicle production is limited, said Jeff Williams, president and…

Walmart health chief urges Americans to ‘get your vaccine when your turn comes’

Three vaccines are now available in the United States, an incredible feat of medical science and global collaboration for healthcare advancement, according to Cheryl Pegus, Walmart’s recently named executive vice…

Bentonville startup Ox lands $3.5 million in seed funding

Ox (formerly Oculogx), an order fulfillment startup based in Bentonville, has raised $3.5 million in seed funding. The company announced the news in a blog post. “We’re excited to use…

Walmart express removes $35 minimum for delivery of online groceries

Walmart is dropping the $35 minimum order requirement on its Express delivery service that was rolled out in May to deliver general merchandise direct to consumers in less than two…

Harps Food Stores Inc. completes sale-leaseback deal worth $30.1M

Springdale-based grocery chain Harps Food Stores Inc. has completed a sale-leaseback deal of 13 free-standing grocery stores for $30.1 million. All of the stores are in Arkansas and Missouri and…

The Supply Side: Niche brands took share from large CPG players in 2020

Consumers hunkering down at home during the pandemic spent more on food consumed at home. Many of them also reached for smaller, niche brands as supply chain disruptions meant national…

Nunnally, Bentonville auto dealer, embracing evolution toward electric vehicles

Like so many automakers, General Motors is investing heavily in electrification. That means the auto dealers who sell their cars must make investments, too. “We’ve got to sell what General…

Retail sales forecast to exceed $4.33 trillion in 2021

The National Retail Federation released Wednesday (Feb. 24) an estimate for retail sales growth this year as the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be rolled out. At $4.33 trillion, the forecast…

U.S. online grocery sales hit $9.3 billion in January

U.S. online grocery sales for January 2021 hit $9.3 billion, up 15% from November, as more than 69.7 million U.S. households placed on average 2.8 orders across delivery, pickup and…

Crain Automotive Holdings buys Springdale RV dealership

Arkansas-based automotive dealer group Crain Automotive Holdings has acquired Northwest RV Sales and Service at 5950 W. Sunset Ave., west of Interstate 49 in Springdale. The 3.9-acre property changed hands…

Northwest Arkansas sales tax revenue up 6.63% in February reports

Holiday spending helped the four largest cities in Northwest Arkansas report 6.63% higher sales tax revenue in the February report. Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale cumulatively received $8.107 million in…

Dillard’s ‘encouraging’ 4Q, tax benefits blunt full-year loss

The financial statements for Dillard’s Inc. are a microcosm for the tough calendar year experienced by many retailers during the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday (Feb. 22) the Little Rock-based retailer…

Tractor Supply acquires Orscheln Farm in $297 million deal

Tractor Supply Company has announced the acquisition of Missouri-based Orscheln Farm and Home stores for $297 million in an all-cash deal that affects 167 stores in 11 states including Arkansas, Kansas…

Walmart CEO says growth can continue; company to raise wages for hourly workers

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said with $564.2 billion in sales the retailer is just getting started. He remembered the late former CEO David Glass saying the same thing more than…

Walmart shares fall on earnings miss, full year net income falls 9.2%

Walmart disappointed the equity markets Thursday (Feb. 18) with a 12-cent per share earnings miss in the fourth quarter, despite record revenue and strong same-store sales. Fourth-quarter earnings on an adjusted…

The Supply Side: Walmart using IoT on food quality, sustainability efforts

The retail sector is starting to use internet of things (IoT) technology with various applications. Sanjay Radhakrishnan, vice president of global technology at Walmart, recently said the company manages more…