Retail

New York – Grocery discounter Aldi has been ranked the world’s “simplest” brand, with simplicity defined as a clarity of purpose that enables employee innovation and customer service. According to the annual 2013 Global Brand Simplicity Index from strategic marketing firm Siegel & Gale, Amazon.com is ranked second, followed by Google, which came out on top this year. The report is based on a study of 10,000 consumers in seven countries,

Amazon.com continued to lose money during its third quarter, although considerably less than a year ago, as its sales advanced 24% to more than $17 billion.

After the market closed on Thursday, Amazon reported a net loss of $41 million, or nine cents a share, during the quarter ended September 30, versus a net loss the prior year of $274 million, or 60 cents a share. The reduced loss coupled with sales of $17. 1 billion which exceeded analysts’ estimate of $16.8 billion caused shares to surge in after hours trading.

Louisville, Ky. — The Mansour Group has announced the sale of Pet Smart and TJ Maxx, a 49,410-sq.-ft. retail box on an outparcel located in a 218,000-sq.-ft. shopping center owned by Weingarten. The seller was a national real estate advisory group and the buyer was a private investor.

 The offering is part of a large portfolio of similar former Service Merchandise assets — all exclusively listed by The Mansour Group.

Target is getting ready for the holidays with a big multichannel push that includes expanding its in-store pick-up program for products ordered online to all of its U.S. stores by Nov. 1 — a service that is now available in about half of the chain’s locations.

Target will run an ad campaign Dec. 1 through Dec. 3 that promotes deals during Cyber Monday and the rest of Cyber week.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Samsung Electronics Canada is opening 90 new format Samsung Experience Shops  in partnership with Best Buy Canada and Future Shop.  
 
The company plans to expand its Canadian retail footprint with the opening of two freestanding Samsung Experience Stores, one in Edmonton, Alberta, and the other Richmond, B.C. All retail locations are scheduled to open by spring 2014.

Carter’s, parent company of Carter's and OshKosh B'gosh, reported record sales in the third quarter, driven primarily by growth in the company’s Carter's brand and international businesses.

“Our growth reflects the strength of our brands and multi-channel business model,” said chairman and CEO Michael D. Casey. “We believe we are well-positioned with strong product offerings and compelling promotions heading into the holiday season and expect to achieve our growth objectives this year."

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop shrunk its net loss in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 to $1.4 million from $4.3 million in the same quarter a year earlier. The company announced that it expects to close an additional 10 to 25 stores in fiscal 2013 and 2014 and, along with opportunistic store openings, expects to reach a store count of approximately 250 stores in North America.

Consolidated net retail sales were $83.6 million while operating 31 fewer stores compared to $84.3 million in the fiscal 2012 third quarter, a decrease of 0.9%.

Sam’s Club opened four new 136,000-sq.-ft. units this week expanding its base of clubs to a record 630 units.

The new clubs are located in Owasso, Okla., Fall River, Mass., and Mansfield and Corpus Christi, Texas. The latter is a relocation of a 20 year old club. These opening follow the addition of three new clubs earlier in the month in Aiken, S.C., Romeoville, Ill., and Edmond, Okla.