Corporate Governance

Cincinnati -- Macy announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of beauty products and spa services retailer Bluemercury, for $210 million in cash.

New York – Through its Barnes & Noble Education subsidiary, Barnes & Noble Inc. is expanding its college bookstore business before spinning it off later this year. Barnes & Noble Education is investing, through its college business, Barnes & Noble College, in Flashnotes Inc., an online marketplace for college students to sell and buy study materials.

Both companies will also enter into a strategic alliance agreement that will enable Barnes & Noble College to promote Flashnotes.com at partner schools and on digital platforms.

Who needs Family Dollar? After a failed bid to acquire its smaller rival, Dollar General is on the move and extending its presence to three new states.

Jackson, Miss. – Newk’s Eatery is entering the San Antonio, Texas area as part of a broader expansion plan that includes 30 new franchise and corporate stores in 2015. The fast-casual dining chain has signed a franchise agreement with Stephen Kuehler, who will lead the chain's expansion into the San Antonio area.

Leading outdoor lifestyle retailer Gander Mountain has a new senior merchant to lead hardlines merchandising as it pursues greater growth of firearms and aggressive store expansion.

The operator of 156 stores – 40 of which have opened since 2012 – said Jay Tibbets joined the company as vice president of hardlines merchandising to oversee the sales, procurement and replenishment of all firearms, ammunition, security, hunting supplies and fishing gear.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General isn’t letting its failed bid for rival Family Dollar slow its momentum. On Saturday, Dollar General announced it is entering three new states: Oregon, Maine and Rhode Island. The expansion will give it stores in a total of 43 states nationwide.

Dollar General already operates more than 11,700 stores, but entry into the three new states gives it more greenfield expansion opportunities to pursue while Dollar Tree is busy integrating the recently acquired Family Dollar chain.

Before Barnes & Noble Inc. spins off its Education division later this year, it is expanding the business by investing in a website where students buy and sell their notes from class. (Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Barnes & Noble was buying Flashnotes.com.)

Barnes & Noble and Flashnotes.com will also enter into a strategic alliance agreement that will enable Barnes & Noble Colege to promote Flashnotes at partner schools and on digital platforms.

By Gregg Aamoth, CEO, POPcodes

The onset of 2015 marked a huge change in shipping costs, and as a result retailers are struggling to find ways to maintain their bottom lines. As of Jan. 1, packages are now being evaluated by their “dimensional weight,” or volume, instead of determining price by weight alone. Experts say that the when combined with other annual rate hikes and surcharges, the resulting average rate increases will be as high as 30% or more.