Retail

New York – Shoppers spent $50.17 billion online during the 2014 back-to-school shopping season, which represents a 16% gain from $43.26 billion in the year-ago period, according to eMarketer. Online commerce during the months of July and August — the main months for back-to-school shopping — accounted for approximately one-sixth of retail ecommerce sales for the year, according to eMarketer estimates, as well as 70.5% of retail ecommerce sales in third quarter 2014.

Issaquah, Wash. – Costco Wholesale Corp. on Thursday reported that its revenue for the fourth-quarter climbed 9% to $34.8 billion. Total same-store sales, excluding negative impacts from gasoline price deflation and foreign exchange, increased 7%.

Costco plans to open nine new warehouse stores before the end of calendar year 2014.

During the full fiscal year 2014, Costco reported a 7% jump in net sales to $110.2 million from $102.9 million. Total same-store sales rose 6%.  

By Joe Tichar, senior VP of corporate operations, DDR, Beachwood, Ohio

Forward-thinking retailers are increasingly leveraging their brick-and-mortar locations to establish omnichannel models that meet the growing consumer demand for a more convenient, more cost-effective and more personalized shopping experience.
 

Atlanta – The alleged security breach that recently hit The Home Depot Inc. may have compromised credit and debit card data at nearly all of the company’s stores. According to the security website Krebsonsecurity.com, the unique ZIP codes of a large batch of new cards listed for sale on underground hacker sites shows a more than 99% overlap with nearby Home Depot stores, suggesting a widespread breach.

Palm Beach, Fla. -- On behalf of DMD Restaurant Group, JLL announced the firm has closed the sale of the former Carraba’s Restaurant, located at 2224 Palm Beach Lakes, West Palm Beach, Florida. DMD Restaurant Group plans to demolish the 1.7 acre site and construct a new free-standing, 8,500-sq.-ft. Twin Peaks restaurant with a 2,000-square-foot patio.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Kmart is offering a no-money-down layaway program to members of the Shop Your Way loyalty program for the holiday season, starting Sept. 4. Kmart's layaway program includes both online and in-store contracts for coveted items across dozens of merchandise categories, including apparel, home, toys and electronics.

Kmart is also running a new ad for the program both on TV and YouTube.

Nashville, Tenn. - Genesco Inc. recently extended its relationship with EarthLink, with future plans to use the network in new ways to enhance the customer shopping experience. A longtime EarthLink customer, Genesco relies on a private EarthLink MPLS network to run all in-store point-of-sale, inventory management and employee communications and training in its Johnston & Murphy, Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Underground by Journeys and Shï by Journeys stores.