Year in Review: Top Competitor Moves of 2015

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — With channel blurring becoming more like "convenience blurring" as all retailers seek to make shopping faster and easier, traditional convenience store operators have to bring their A game to compete.

Other retail channels are also encroaching on the "convenience" space with new small formats while, at the same time, they are stepping out of the safety of brick-and-mortar retailing and testing delivery services and mobile ordering.

These are the top 10 competitor headlines of 2015, as reported by CSNews Online:

1. Walgreens to Acquire Rite Aid's 4,600 Drugstores
The $17.2B merger is expected to close in second half of 2016.

2. Dollar Tree Takes Ownership of Family Dollar Chain
Company now operates 13,000-plus stores in 48 states, five Canadian provinces.

3. Dunkin’ Donuts Pilots Mobile Ordering, Delivery Service
Testing will begin in Portland and Dallas.

4. Starbucks Mobile Ordering & Pay Rolls Out This Month
Mobile ordering will pave the way for delivery.

5. McDonald's to Test Customers' Lovin' of All-Day Breakfast
Select San Diego restaurants to offer partial menu.

6. Grocer Ahold USA Joins in Small-Format Trend
First-ever bfresh market will target neighborhood foodies.

7. Target to Test Grocery Delivery Service
Retailer is still working out details about the on-demand initiative.

8. Whole Foods Chooses '365' Moniker for New Format
Smaller, convenience-focused stores will debut in 2016.

9. A New Dollar Store Player Emerges
Dollar Express comes to fruition through acquisition of 330 stores.

10. Amazon to Launch Drive-Thru Retail Store
Sunnyvale, Calif., site will fuse click-and-collect with brick-and-mortar.