Strategy

CVS Health is teaming up with a Bay Area startup to offer consumers in-store pick-up at their neighborhood CVS for digital purchases.

After reporting a 13.2% first quarter same store sales increase, The Tile Shop boosted its full year profit forecast and said it would open between 9 and 12 stores this year.

With 116 stores in 31 states, The Tile Shop has benefitted from the same home improvement tailwinds as Home Depot and Lowe¹s, except its 21,000 square foot showroom style stores are focused exclusively on flooring.

Nordstrom announced it will phase out 350 to 400 jobs, primarily in its corporate center and regional support teams, through the end of the second quarter.

The retailer described the reductions as changes in its operating model in order to “continually evolve with the expectations of its customers, ensure it is best positioned to respond to the current business environment, and meet long-term growth plans.”

The changes are estimated to generate savings of approximately $60 million in fiscal 2016.

Angeles-based Sport Chalet has initiated going out of business sales at its 47 stores and closed down its online operation.

On Monday, Vestis Retail Group LLC, which operates Sport Chalet along with Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing was not unexpected and follows in the wake of Sports Authority’s Chapter 11 filing in March.

Consumers who want free two-day shipping of their Amazon.com orders but don’t want to make an upfront commitment have a new option.

Amazon is now making Prime membership available to U.S. customers on a month-by-month basis for $10.99 per month. Previously, Prime had only been available for $99 per year, which breaks down to $8.25 per month.

ModCloth, known for its indie and vintage-inspired styles, appointed Phil Neri as chief financial officer (CFO), starting April 15.

Neri joins ModCloth with over two decades of financial and operational experience in the consumer, online and multichannel retail sector, most recently serving as CFO at home and lifestyle brand Serena & Lily since 2011.

Meijer has plans to open stores in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Cleveland and Minneapolis during the next five years, reported MLive.com. "We see Cleveland as the next city to go to," said CEO Hank Meijer, with the first stores opening in 2018 or 2019, the report continued. [MLive.com]

Anthropologie is coming to Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, in a big way.

The brand, a division of Urban Outfitters, will open a 10,000-sq.-ft. flagship on the mall’s expanded first level. It is expected to open in time for the holiday season.

A ruling in the dispute between the Federal Trade Commission and Staples could hinge on whether the judge in the case is an Amazon Prime member who appreciates the online giant’s disruptive business model and potential to impact the business-to-business marketplace.  

A ruling in the dispute between the Federal Trade Commission and Staples could hinge on whether the judge in the case is an Amazon Prime member who appreciates the online giant’s disruptive business model and potential to impact the business-to-business marketplace.