Home Centers

Frank Bifulco will have full responsibility for the strategic marketing vision of Home Depot, along...

Sears Holdings has appointed William Hutchinson to the role of SVP and president, Supply Chain. He will succeed Raj Penkar, who is retiring on May 31, 2014 after leading the unit since 2011.

In his new role, Hutchinson will be responsible for all aspects of the supply chain, including distribution, transporation, customs compliance and global sourcing.

The nation’s largest private employer is raising its starting wage for all hourly associates in the United States to $11, in addition to expanding maternity and parental leave benefits and giving out bonuses.

Sears Holdings’ CEO Eddie Lampert strongly defended his company in his annual letter to shareholders, saying not only does he believe Sears is headed in the right direction, but that “the entire retail industry is headed to where we already are.”

The letter was released on Thursday, Feb. 27, the same day that the retailer posted its fourth quarter earnings report. Sears lost $1.36 billion last year as sales continued to fall and it closed stores as part of its plan to transform itself into a “member-centric” retailer.

Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe’s is telling investors and analysts that changes are in the works, a message it has delivered steadily over the last several quarters.

British retail giant Kingfisher plans to go about its DIY retail business in China with a new approach, according to an article in the Financial Times.

The company's CEO Ian Cheshire told the newspaper that big-box DIY "is not the model for China," which has proven difficult for DIY retailers to gain acceptance. The international retailer is trying a showroom format targeting the do-it-for-me customer.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Lowe’s, has recalled approximately 37,000 Master Forge gas grills due to potential fire and burn hazards. The products were made by Guangdong Vanward Electric of China and imported by LG Sourcing, of North Wilkesboro, N.C.

If improperly installed, the hose connecting the gas tank and regulator to the burner control can touch the burner box and cause the hose to melt and rupture when the grill is lit. This poses a fire and burn hazard.

The Home Depot's focus is moving from building new brick-and-mortar stores and toward building its online business in fiscal 2014. The move, among other things, will mean same-day shipping for its customers.