Content about Bentonville

Target may not cater to exactly the same shopper as Walmart, but there is enough overlap between the two companies to know that reports of weakness out of Minneapolis are never a good sign in Bentonville.

Collective Bias, the Bentonville, Ar.-based company pioneering the field of social shopper media, secured $10.5 million in funding.

The funding is expected to help the innovative media company continue to drive growth by creating greater engagement among shoppers, brands and retailers. The firms said 2012 was its third consecutive year of triple digit growth and the series A funding round led by Updata Partners represents the opportunity for Collective Bias to accelerate key business initiatives including expansion to international markets.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club has announced the third installment of The Sam's Club National BBQ Tour, the largest continuous barbecue competition in the United States, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). As the official supplier of KCBS, Sam's Club is the 'choice' destination for the highest quality meats and ingredients for backyard grillers, restaurateurs and more than 750 professional teams who will compete in the 2013 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

CHICAGO and BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In light of Walmart's recent decision to share its point-of-sale (POS) data with select research companies for the first time since 2001, research company SymphonyIRI Group has partnered with 8th & Walton, a Walmart supplier education and Retail Link training business, to offer courses that will educate suppliers on the use of Walmart and multi-outlet POS data. Classes began Jan. 15 and are open to all interested Walmart suppliers with approved access to multi-outlet POS data.

More than 500 suppliers and service companies were on hand recently to hear what Walmart chief marketing officer Stephen Quinn had to say at an event organized by the Bentonville Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce.

The Walmart Visitor Center, Downtown Bentonville, and Bentonville public schools, today, will unveil the Wal-Art Student Mural on the Bentonville Square.

Igloo Products Corp., named Terri Brooks VP strategic accounts as part of a larger sales reorganization and said she would be based in Bentonville.

Katy, Texas-based Igloo said the addition of Brooks to her newly created position and the addition of David D’Auteuil as VP new business development would accelerate the momentum the company has achieved from new product introductions and aggressive marketing.

In case you missed it, Kate Berg, president of Bentonville-based Collective Bias, shared her views about where social media is headed and what it means for brands in the most recent issue of Connecting Northwest Arkansas. Berg is helping invent the future at the rapidly growing social shopper agency so it’s worth taking a minute to get inside her head. Read more.

Matt Kistler is in a relatively new role at Walmart as SVP of merchandise execution and to explain what that means he is on the agenda for an upcoming event presented by Doing Business in Bentonville.

Kistler is scheduled to speak on February 8 at the DBB event which runs from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and will be held at the John Q. Hammons Center. He is expected to provide an overview of Walmart’s merchandise services unit that was created last year.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton expressed optimism about the retailer’s prospects for the holiday season and beyond late Tuesday during comments at a Bentonville Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce function, which attracted more than 500 people.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores will introduce a holiday layaway plan effective, Oct. 17 through Dec. 16. The program has a minimum layaway purchase of $50, and requires a 10% down payment. If the program is successful, Wal-Mart said it may extend it throughout the year.

When Wal-Mart phased out its previous layaway offer in September 2006, such programs had fallen out of popularity. But Sears and some merchants brought back layaways as the recession cut into spending.

Keeping tabs on key personnel moves at Walmart’s home office in Bentonville is hard enough, but the situation is even more challenging in overseas markets due to an uneven and selective disclosure strategy.