Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart said on Tuesday it would invest about $500 million this year to strengthen its presence in Canada, creating more than 7,500 jobs including construction. The investments include more than $376 million for store projects, $91 million for distribution networks to expand fresh food capability and $31 million for e-commerce projects. Wal-Mart's expansion plans comes a week after Target said it would open nine new stores across Canada, adding to the 124 it opened last year.

This past January, as I've done for the past five years or so, I trekked into New York City's Jacob Javits Convention Center for the National Retail Federation's (NRF) Big Show. I was met, as I was in past years as well, by retailers from around the world. I spent time at this year's conference attending presentations and press conferences; meeting and interviewing retail industry execs in the press room; and walking the vast exhibit hall floors trying to find the "next big things" in retail technology. Here are a few of my takeaways

Sears Canada is laying off 624 employees, the second time in as many weeks the struggling retailer has announced cost-saving cuts to its workforce. The company, whose sales have fallen for the last seven fiscal years in a battle with stronger rivals like Wal-Mart, Costco and Winners, said late Wednesday that the layoffs will lead to more effective communication between management and its store associate teams. The cuts result in an average reduction of five associates per store from a mid-tier level, the retailer said. 

Wal-Mart To Go, the retailer's on-demand shopping service offering home delivery of general merchandise, including in some cases groceries, is expanding its test in the Denver market to also include a local pick-up option. Denver-area customers will be able to order their groceries online, then pick them up at a nearby store — without having to set foot inside the store. Customers will pull up to a designated pick-up spot on the side of the store, as directed. Or, in the case of those stores where a drive-through pharmacy is available, they'll pick up their groceries from the pharmacy window. 

Wal-Mart said it's eliminating 2,300 workers at its Sam's Club division as it reduces the ranks of middle managers in a bid to be more nimble. The layoffs, which cut 2 percent of the membership club's U.S. employee count of about 116,000, mark the largest since 2010 when the Sam's Club unit laid off 10,000 workers as it moved to outsource food demonstrations at its stores. The cuts come as Sam's Club strives to compete better with Costco Wholesale Corp. and online players like Amazon.com's Prime membership service. 

William S. Simon, CEO of Wal-Mart for the United States, said on Thursday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors that the company was providing a $10 million fund to promote American manufacturing in a push to sell more American-made products. The fund, to be distributed over five years, will award grants for new manufacturing processes and help to encourage such projects in this country, a company spokeswoman said. Early last year, Wal-Mart said it would increase sourcing of American-made products by $50 billion over a 10-year period, buying goods already made here and helping vendors bring production back from overseas.

Global retail giant Wal-Mart has registered a new company in India as it prepares to enter the country's lucrative multibrand retail market with a new partner. Wal-Mart and Bharti Enterprises decided to part ways in October last year, bringing an end to their six-year-long partnership. The retailer has registered a new company called Wal-Mart India Private Ltd in the country, according to the data available with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Federal officials have filed a formal complaint charging that Wal-Mart violated the rights of protesting and striking workers last year. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) says Wal-Mart illegally fired, disciplined or threatened more than 60 employees in 14 states for participating in legally protected activities to complain about wages and working conditions. The labor board's general counsel first laid out the charges last November, but held off on filing a complaint while trying to work out a settlement with Wal-Mart. 

When I wrote a story on "Duck Dynasty's" $400 million merchandise empire for a recent issue of Forbes, one quote stood out during my reporting. "It's a huge risk, taking on personalities," said Charlie Anderson, CEO of retail marketing agency Shoptology. "Look at what happened with Paula Deen," he said, referring to the Southern chef's racism scandal and resulting loss of lucrative partnerships. Anderson added: "The ‘Duck Dynasty’ guys have flaws, but they're wholesome."

Mayhem erupted at big-box stores across the U.S. as frenzied shoppers vying for holiday deals turned on each other and resorted to violence to get their goods. Reports of retail assaults, shootings and arrests piled up so fast that by Thursday night, Black Friday already had a trending Twitter hashtag: #WalmartFights.