Costco Wholesale Corp.

PARIS and SAN FRANCISCO -- Thomson, via its Premier Retail Networks (PRN) business unit, part of its Services Division, and NBC Universal unveiled last week a new sales and marketing alliance to team up on ad sales and develop customizable content for PRN's supermarket network, which is featured in over 1,000 grocery stores across the country.

New technology is adding robust data and psychographics to the site selection process -- but to win the best locations, you still need to walk the market.

WASHINGTON -- The most successful retailers are constantly reinventing themselves to stay one step ahead of the competition -- and several grocers are among them, according to the STORES Top 100 Retailers ranking, sponsored by SAP and featured in STORES Magazine's July issue. (STORES is the official magazine of the National Retail Federation, based in Washington, D.C.)

ISSAQUAH, Wash. -Costco Wholesale Corp. saw an 11 percent increase in sales of $5.14 billion for the month of May compared to last year, an indication it may have finally shaken off the negative effects from the increase in the sales returns reserve balance, which had decreased third quarter sales by $228.2 million.

NEW YORK -- Los Angeles Dodgers v.p. of sales and marketing Sergio del Prado leads a heavy-hitting lineup of Latino market retailers, experts, and consumer product goods executives set to speak at the third annual Hispanic Retail 360 Summit, August 1-3, 2007, at the Westin Park Central Hotel in Dallas.

NEW YORK -- Los Angeles Dodgers v.p. of sales and marketing Sergio del Prado leads a heavy-hitting lineup of Latino market retailers, experts, and consumer product goods executives set to speak at the third annual Hispanic Retail 360 Summit, August 1-3, 2007, at the Westin Park Central Hotel in Dallas.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. - Membership wholesale club Costco Wholesale Corp. saw a 4.9 drop in profits due to the raise in its reserve for merchandise returns, which came as a result of the retailer's review of historical data used to determine how large it should be.

LONDON -- The latest research from Planet Retail here highlights major changes in the ranking of the world's largest grocery retailers. Its recently published "Top 30 Grocery Retailers Worldwide 2006" report and ranking ousted Dutch grocer Ahold from its top five position, with Japanese hypermarket/convenience store operator Seven & I taking its place.