Research Topic

Quebec -- The Quebec City-based Simons department store chains is planning to extend its brand across Canada, according to Canada’s Global News.

The 175-year-old Canadian retailer - plans to spend up to $200 million over the next four years on its expansion plan, which will result in eight additional stores openings across the country, the report said.

Washington, D.C. – Despite all the hype surrounding Apple Pay and other digital wallet solutions, so far consumer response to the digital wallet phenomenon has been one big shrug of the shoulders.

Gallup analysis shows that only 13% of U.S. adults with a smartphone have a digital wallet on their device.

New York -- Chain Store Age magazine is accepting nominations for its 11th annual “Top Redevelopers” listing, which recognizes shopping center owners and developers’ retail redevelopment efforts over the last 12 months. Selections will be based on square footage redeveloped between June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015, financial investment, and project significance.

Phoenix -- Jeff Green, president of Jeff Green Partners, and Jerry Hoffman, president of Hoffman Strategy Group, have announced a formal collaboration to expand their companies’ work on complex, mixed-use feasibility research including retail, residential, office and hotel uses.

San Jose, Calif. – An analysis of June sales by store analytics provider RetailNext served up mixed results.

Although overall sales suffered a year-over-year decline in June 2015, retailers can take solace in the fact the consumers who were shopping spent more money. According to RetailNext’s Retail Performance Pulse report, June experienced a 3.3% year-over-year increase in sales per shopper, one of the strongest performances in any month of 2015 so far.
 

Seattle – Retailers of oversized items like barbecue grills and large-screen TVs may want to consider offering same-day delivery services.

According to a survey of 615 U.S. adults by same-day delivery provider Fleetzen, 25% of respondents said a same-day delivery option would increase their likelihood of a purchase of an oversize item, while another 39% indicated it would give a significant boost to their chances of purchasing an oversized item.
 

When it comes to payments, times are changing. Fast. Retailers find themselves in an uncertain world: after a few rough years of data breaches, theft, and fraud, retailers are already feeling pretty beat up. But despite a resulting emphasis on data security and privacy, retailers find they have no room to pause while they secure their enterprises as tightly as they would like. Consumers are moving fast, and retailers must keep up.

San Diego – Net income at warehouse club retailer PriceSmart Inc. stayed essentially flat at $21.2 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to $21.3 million in the prior year period. Meanwhile, total revenues rose 13% to $697.1 million, from to $615 million.

Higher income taxes kept PriceSmart’s profits flat even as rising export sales and membership income boosted total revenues. Same-store sales increased 4% during June 2015, compared to the same month in the previous year.
 

Gap Inc. continues to suffer from a lack of traffic to its stores and Web site, but the sales decline abated somewhat in June.

Just months after being named the nation's best department store by USA Today, Stein Mart is reporting a big jump in same store sales for June.

The Florida-based retailer reported total sales for the five-week period ended July 4 of $121.7 million, a 7.5% increase over total sales of $113.2 million for the five-week period ended July 5, 2014. Same store sales for the five-week period ended July 4 increased 5.8% from June 2014.