Winter Holidays

New York -- Retail e-commerce in the US grew 16.5% in 2013 to reach $264.3 billion, and will increase another 15.7% in 2014 to reach $305.7 billion, or 6.5% of all U.S. retail sales, according to Emarketer.      In other findings, mobile retail sales in the U.S. totaled $42.28 billion in 2013, 16% of all U.S. retail ecommerce sales, and will increase another 37.3% to reach $58.07 billion in 2014, accounting for 19% of the total US ecommerce market.   

Fort Worth, Texas -– Radio Shack is launching its new “R Promise” initiative to offer holiday shoppers services including price matching and new payment options. Radio Shack stores will match prices on identical products from local brick-and-mortar competitors, major online retailers (excluding wireless phones from online retailers) and RadioShack.com at the time of purchase or within 15 days of the purchase.  

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. --Taubman will offer a special "Frozen"attraction at 10 of its shopping centers across the country from Nov. 6-Dec. 24. The attraction comes a few days before Disney releases its "Frozen Sing-Along Edition" DVD on Nov. 18.

St. Louis –- Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. swung to a profit in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 from a loss in the same quarter a year earlier. The retailer also announced that will open five pop-up stores for the 2014 holiday season, including one in Macy’s Herald Square flagship in New York City, and its State Street location in Chicago.   

New York -- Modell’s Sporting Goods will celebrate 125 years in business with the grand opening of its newest location at 1019 Montauk Highway in Shirley, Long Island, bringing the sporting goods chain’s total to 157 storefronts.     The 14,000-sq.-ft. Southport Shopping Center location will officially open on Thursday, Oct. 23 with a ribbon cutting by president and CEO Mitchell Modell and area officials.  

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. on Wednesday fired the first retail salvo of the holiday season, announcing that, for the first time ever, it is offering free shipping on all online purchases—no matter the amount—from Oct. 22 through Dec. 20. The free shipping offer comes early in the holiday shopping timeline, reflecting retailers’ concerns about what is expected to be a highly promotional season.  

Washington, D.C. –- More than half of U.S. consumers plan to make at least some of their holiday purchases online this year.

Toano, Va. –- Lumber Liquidators missed Wall Street estimates for both net income and sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2014.    Net income totaled $15.7 million, down 23% from $20.4 million in the year ago period, amid higher expenses. Net sales rose 5% to $266.1 million from $254.3 million. Same-store sales dropped 4.9%, although they improved each month in the quarter as more inventory became available.