Retail

Staples' secret weapon this back-to-school season looks to be Katy Perry. The retailer recently aligned itself with the pop mega-star who has the potential to influence the shopping behavior of 50 million Twitter followers and 71 million Facebook fans.

Staples said it will be the presenting sponsor of the North American leg of Perry’s Prismatic World tour when it resumes on June 22 in Raleigh, N.C., and also donated $1 million to the DonorsChoose.org charitable organization which helps fund teachers’ and students’ classroom needs.

St. Louis — Panera Bread Company has secured a five-year $100 million term loan from Bank of America, Wells Fargo and TD Bank. Proceeds from the loan will be used for general corporate purposes, including a range of growth initiatives such as the rollout of the Panera 2.0 in-store technology initiative.

Roundy’s Supermarkets executive Kathy Hession has received an unconventional accolade for her long-running contributions to the floral industry.

City of Commerce, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores LLC reported net income of $9.57 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, up from $897,000 in the same quarter a year earlier. 

Net sales rose $477.9 million, up 7% from $445.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. 

A study conducted by DHL e-commerce that compares consumer behavior across 20 markets has created a detailed look into how people shop around the world.

The “Shop the World” survey, which uses data from some 11,000 respondents, shows the growing prominence and earning potential of ecommerce and distance selling operations in different countries.

Seattle — Amazon.com has debuted a new feature for members of its Prime paid benefits program called Prime Music. The service provides ad-free access to more than one million songs and hundreds of expert-programmed Prime Playlists.

Mooreseville, N.C. — Lowe’s has launched Lowe’s Innovation Lab, with a goal of creating new technology to solve common consumer frustrations while working alongside start-ups, universities, specialized professionals and other companies. The first concept to come out of the lab is the Lowe's Holoroom, a home improvement simulator that applies 3D and augmented reality technologies to provide homeowners an intuitive, immersive experience in their dream rooms.

Newly separated from Sears Holdings, Lands' End reported respectable sales growth during a first quarter that saw it vow to become a global lifestyle brand.

Lands' End completed its separation from Sears on April 4 and for the quarter ended May 2 said its sales increased 3.6% to $330.5 million, driven by a 4.8% increase in the direct segment offset by a 2.3% decrease in the retail segment. Profits increased 48.1% to $10.9 million, or 34 cents a share, compared to $7.3 million, or 23 cents a year the prior year.