Americans increased their spending at retailers last month by the most in two and a half years, driven by strong auto sales as residents of hurricane-ravaged areas replaced destroyed cars.

Challenge: A food company with flat revenue and growth in a five-year period struggled to increase market share and household penetration where expectations and prices fluctuate. Credibility of the forecasts was debated, and plans were not consolidated. Receiving timely, accurate data was a struggle, and a $100m profit gap was projected.

To bring a true omni-channel operation with the ability to fulfil e-commerce, retail, wholesale and outlet-store orders into a single facility — delivering a seamless shopping experience to customers that meets/exceeds service level agreements.

The deadly firestorms across wine country have burned hotels, small lodges, winery buildings and even some vineyards, officials in the region said.

An unusual partnership between a major industry trade group and private retailer seeks to create a system for benchmarking supply-chain performance by e-commerce companies.

The mostly unwanted gifts are piled in the corner, the relatives have slowly made their way to the airport and a mountain of dishes awaits attention in the kitchen. This is what late December looks like for most American consumers. But for logisticians, the holiday work is only half done - it's time for gift returns season.

Wal-Mart expects little abatement in the pace of its torrid e-commerce growth next year, and the retailer's latest forecast sent shares up 2 percent on Tuesday.

Amazon.com Inc.'s takeover of Whole Foods Market began six weeks ago with a lot of fanfare about lower prices.

In the three-plus decades since Ola Karlsson began painting houses and offices for a living, he has seen oil wealth transform the Norwegian economy. He has participated in a construction boom that has refashioned Oslo, the capital. He has watched the rent climb at his apartment in the center of the city.