Author: Christina Cheddar Berk

Wal-Mart will offer its online shoppers a “pay with cash” option. The program plays to Wal-Mart’s key customer, a low-income consumer who may have little access to credit cards and banking options.    Read More

Wal-Mart received Wednesday what appears to be its first analyst downgrade tied to allegations that the retailer’s executives paid bribes to Mexican officials.    Read More

A recent study has found that most of the users of the newest version of the iPad are confined to wealthier, coastal states. The study drives home a point that retailers should keep in mind: if you want to reach affluent consumers, your website better be equipped to handle traffic coming from these devices.    Read More

Is Best Buy a potential leveraged buyout target? The possibility has long been discussed, even before Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn unexpectedly resigned in the wake of an investigation of his conduct.    Read More

With another month of solid sales under its belt, it looks as though Activision is proving that its budding Skylanders franchise has staying power, and that’s hopeful news for videogame developers and retailers alike.    Read More

As Best Buy works on hashing out the terms of CEO Brian Dunn’s resignation, speculation continues about who ultimately will lead the company.    Read More

It’s going to take more than a new CEO to fix Best Buy’s problems, but at least it’s a start. At best, it’s a signal the board is getting ready to be more aggressive about shaking things up and reinventing the brand.    Read More

IBM is forecasting a surge in demand for home furnishings in the second quarter of this year. Their forecast calls for in-store sales of home furnishings to rise nearly 8 percent to $23.22 billion and online sales to surge 28.4 percent. Combined, the home furnishings market should grow 16.6 percent in the second quarter.    Read More

Retailers turned in very solid gains in March, but the big question now is: can the momentum continue?    Read More

James Bond will be reaching for a Heineken, not his signature martini — shaken, not stirred — in the upcoming Bond flick, Skyfall, as part of in a six-figure cross-promotion deal, reported by Ad Age.    Read More