Retail

New York -- Online mobile sales were strong in the third quarter as mobile percentage of online sales increased more than 60% year-over-year. Led by strong gains in home goods and department store, mobile traffic for U. S. retail overall reached almost 32% in the quarter, up more than 50% while online retail sales overall grew close to 10%.

Saks chairman and CEO Stephen Sadove has been named to the board of directors at J.C. Penney to fill a position being vacated by Geraldine Laybourne.

Sadove will be leaving his position at Saks soon as the upscale department store chain was recently sold to Hudson’s Bay Company. Sadove joined Saks in 2002 as vice chairman and assumed the additional post of chief operating officer in 2004. He became CEO in 2006 and the following year was named chairman.

Winnipeg, Manitoba -- Canadian denim company Silver Jeans Co. said it will open its "loft" concept store at Glendale Galleria on Nov. 2 in Glendale, Calif.

"We put a lot of work into making sure the store environment represents our brand," says Michael Silver, CEO, Silver Jeans Co. “We've created an environment that has a comfortable modern feeling but also lets our guests know that we're a historic brand with a rich 92-year history."

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie parent Bi-Lo Holdings said it would begin in 2014 the process of converting all Sweetbay stores to the Winn-Dixie name and Reid's stores to Bi-Lo, but that the Harveys banner would remain intact.

The grocery retailer acquired all three banners from Brussels, Belgium-based Delhaize Group last May.

The Bon-Ton Stores has signed a lease with Rouse Properties for a new Herberger’s store at Cache Valley Mall in Logan, Utah — its first in the state. 

The company expects to begin remodeling the 62,000-sq.-ft. facility in early spring 2014 and to be completed in the second half of 2014.

Chino Hills, Calif. — The Shoppes at Chino Hills, a 380,000-sq.-ft. community and lifestyle center in Chino Hills, Calif., has announced leases with five new retailers.

DB Shoes has opened its first Inland Empire store in a 6,100-sq.-ft. space next to Aeropostale.

Another Inland Empire first is The Kickin’ Crab, set to open in the spring of 2014.

Originally an online business, Kid’s Wonderland recently opened its first brick-and-mortar retail location at Chino Hills.

By Michael Zea, president and CEO, U.S., Aimia
 
Amid weaker-than-expected August retail sales, leading retailers are kick-starting their holiday shopping season by wooing existing shoppers through their customer loyalty programs. Retailers are increasing their investment in the traditional transaction-based loyalty efforts because of the proven success of rewarding customers for their purchases.
 

Family Dollar saw strong growth in refrigerated and frozen food, health aids and tobacco, which buoyed sales in consumables to 8.3% for the fourth quarter ended Aug. 31. Despite the increase, comparable store sales for the quarter were flat. 

The company’s total net sales for the quarter increased 5.8% to $2.5 billion compared with total net sales of $2.4 billion in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. However, customer traffic and the average customer transaction value were flat during the quarter.