In today’s top retail news, retail sales grew for the third month in a row in October, while Walmart says its omnichannel approach and infrastructure investments have prepared it to meet customer demand this holiday season. Also, Chase has partnered with delivery platform Gopuff to offer rewards to consumers, and an increasing number of people are considering gifting refurbished items amid supply shortages.
October Retail Sales Beat Forecasts as Shoppers Get a Jump on the Holidays
U.S. retail and food services sales escalated last month to $638.2 billion, up 1.7% over the previous month and beating economists’ forecasts, according to data released by the Commerce Department. October marks the third month in a row retail that sales have increased.
Walmart Adds Workers, Touts In-Stock Affordable Items for Holiday Shopping
Walmart said its omnichannel approach and investments in technology in recent years have set the retailer up to meet shoppers’ needs this holiday season, with approximately 50,000 new supply chain employees added in the third quarter to keep things moving in the coming weeks. Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart Inc., said gains in grocery and strong back-to-school sales results indicate that customers are continuing to move away from early pandemic behaviors, providing tailwinds for the retailer.
Chase Teams With Gopuff to Offer Delivery Rewards
Chase has launched a partnership with the fast delivery startup Gopuff, giving customers a chance to earn credits with each purchase made through the delivery platform. The program is open to Gopuff users who use a Chase credit card as their default payment, and lets them receive an automatic $10 statement credit each month they make a purchase with Gopuff, a potential value of $120 a year.
Refurbished Items Could Help Consumers Fulfill Christmas Wishes
Earlier this month, eBay expanded its refurbishment program to include items from top-rated sellers “who are thoroughly vetted to meet rigorous performance standards” in addition to inventory from top brands. Items sold through the eBay Refurbished program come in new packaging and are available in four conditions ranging from moderately used to like new.