Consumer Electronics

Ron Rubin resigned his post as chairman of the board of PREIT and will be succeeded in that role by CEO Joseph Coradino. His departure was expected, having been announced last month.  

Saks Fifth Avenue is giving New York City a new “boy’s club.”    The chain’s first-ever Saks Downtown Men’s store is a stand-alone 16,000-sq.-ft. location dedicated to men’s categories. Featuring a strong focus on modern fashion, it carries more than 100 brands, including a dominant assortment of designer footwear and accessories.    Located at 250 Vesey Street in lower Manhattan, the store also features an “experiential shopping environment.” 

Dick’s Sporting Goods is expanding its breadth.   The chain is preparing to open five stores during the second week of March, a move totaling approximately 180,000 sq. ft. of retail space.    Specifically, a new Dick’s Sporting Goods will open in the Glendale area of Queens, New York, in one of the former Sports Authority locations that the company took over late last year. Another Dick’s store will open in Hinesville, Georgia.   

Nordstrom Rack announced it would open its first Baltimore store at The Shops at Canton Crossing in spring 2019. It will be part of the center’s 90,000-sq.-ft. Phase II addition, which is expected to begin construction in November.  

Amazon has again raised the stakes in the home shipping war.   Almost a year after raising its free shipping minimum for non-Prime customers from $35 to $50, Amazon subtly announced on its website that it is once again honoring free shipping on orders of $35.  

Nike has brought its experiential retail format to Miami Beach. The company has opened a two-story, digitally connected, 31,000-sq.-ft. store on Lincoln Road, in the heart of Miami Beach.   Similar to Nike’s new store in Manhattan’s SoHo, the Miami location is designed to deliver the best of Nike products and personalized, immersive experiences services through a series of unique spaces. These include zones dedicated to running, soccer and basketball where consumers can try out the brand’s latest products.

Exceptional customer service is key to driving long-term customer loyalty — and once again, B&H Photo Video, The Home Depot and Zappos are blazing the path.     For the second year in a row, these three heavy hitters topped the 20th Annual Mystery Shopping Study. The report from Astound Commerce recognized retailers who excel in customer service through an assessment of “must-have” website features and behavior based on engagement with available touchpoints.  

An Indianapolis-based appliance and electronics chain is bringing in outside help as it struggles with sinking sales.    Hhgregg announced that it has engaged subsidiaries of Stifel Financial Corp. for advice on potential strategic and financial transactions as the retailer works to improve liquidity and return to profitability.