"Cyber Monday Sales Jump 16% to $2.29 Billion; Internet Retailers Take 42% Share" via Adobe Digital Index.  "A record 18.3 percent of sales came from mobile devices, an increase of 80 percent YoY. Consumer shopping preferences continued to shift online with Cyber Monday being the fifth day in a row of record breaking online sales. While “Brick and Click” retailers dominated Thanksgiving weekend sales, Internet retailers generated the most sales on Cyber Monday with a 42 percent share."  Read more   "IBM Benchmark:  Cyber Monday Sales Up 19%; Delivers Blow to Physical Stores" by Danielle Kucera at Bloomberg.  "Online sales [...]

  Thanksgiving / Black Friday stats at a  Glance: National Retail Federation (NRF) * Traffic Up:  More than 141 million unique shoppers have already or will have shopped by the end of the big Thanksgiving weekend, up from 139 million over the same time frame last year. * Spending Down:  Shoppers spent $407.02 from Thursday through Sunday, down from $423.55 last year. * Young are Active:  More than three-quarters (76.2%) of 18 – 34 year olds shopped or planned to shop over the holiday weekend – higher than any other age group. Read the NRF Release   ShopperTrak * Traffic [...]

  "Target Wants To Launch An Accelerator In India" by Pankaj Mishra at TechCrunch.  "Target has long looked to India to fuel its software applications and back-office projects. Now, the Minneapolis-based retailer is doubling down on the country's tech potential.  Come January 2014, Target is planning to launch the Target Accelerator Program, a corporate incubator - complete with funding, and possibly equity stakes."  Read more   "H-E-B:  America's Only Cross-Border Grocery Chain" by David Merrefield at Global Retail Brands.  "It operates stores in Mexico, and has done so for some 15 years, making it the lone U.S. conventional operator with [...]

  "Wal-Mart Taps Veteran as New CEO" by Shelly Banjo at WSJ.  "In a meeting with senior managers in Bentonville on Monday, Mr. McMillon highlighted his commitment to following in founder Sam Walton's footsteps by placing more focus on merchandise but also underscored the changing and evolving needs of the customer, according to a Wal-Mart executive who attended the meeting."  Read more    "Walmart CEO Race:  What's Next for #2 Choice Bill Simon?" by Kim Souza at City Wire.  "Will Bill Simon remain at the helm of Walmart US? If not, does Duncan MacNaughton assume the helm of US operations? [...]

  "Walmart Haters Try to Ignite Social Media Controversy" by Laura Clawson at Talking Union.  "A Thunderclap touting Black Friday as Walmart’s Super Bowl was identified as being from “a proud associate.” But it turns out that proud associate was Umang Shah, Walmart’s director of social strategy. Outed by Eric Ming as the originator of the Thunderclap, Shah argued that “proud associate” wasn’t deceptive."  Read more   "It's Come to this - Costco's New Shopping Carts Reviewed like a New Car" by Consumer Bob at San Diego 7 NBC.  "Costco GM Jesse Sanchez said not only are carts lighter, but [...]

  Dissecting Target's Q3 Earnings Call:  Top 10 Main Things Gregg Steinhafel, Chairman & CEO * Guests continue to consolidate trips as evidenced by a slight decline in our third quarter transactions which was offset by an increase in average ticket. * The response to Cartwheel, our digital coupon portable, has been remarkable. Cartwheel now has nearly 3 million users. * In Q3, we opened our eighth CityTarget.  We opened our first CityTarget stores more than a year ago and we're seeing very strong comparable sales growth in these locations.   Kathryn Tesija, EVP Merchandising & Supply Chain * Electronics had a [...]

  "Breaking:  Target Q3 Comp Sales Up Sluggish .9%"  "In third quarter 2013, sales increased 2.0 percent to $16.9 billion from $16.6 billion last year, reflecting a 0.9 percent increase in comparable sales."  Read the Full Release   "Target earnings beat; shares slip on light sales" at CNBC.  "Target on Thursday reported comparable sales rose a smaller than expected 0.9 percent in the third quarter, blaming what it called "constrained" consumer spending, and it lowered its full-year profit forecast." Read more   Top Ten Things Heard on the Lowe's Q3 Earnings Call: Robert Niblock, Chairman & CEO * Comparable sales [...]

  "Lowe's Q3 Comps Up 6.2%"  "Sales for the quarter increased 7.3 percent to $13.0 billion from $12.1 billion in the third quarter of 2012, and comparable sales for the quarter increased 6.2 percent. For the nine month period, sales were $41.8 billion, a 5.8 percent increase over the same period a year ago, and comparable sales increased 5.1 percent."  Read more   "Hundreds Stand in Line for New Costco in Melbourne, Australia" by Emma Hastings at Herald Sun.  "The grocery giant opened its second Melbourne store at 8am, with a ribbon-cutting and speech by Minister for Employment and Trade [...]