Consumer Electronics

New York – LLBean.com provided the highest-rated customer service of all major online retailers during the month of November 2013. According to the Stella Monthly Ranking from the StellaService customer service analysis firm, L.L. Bean was ranked number one for overall customer service and also in the email customer service area.

SierraTradingPost.com took top honors for phone customer service, Sears.com had the highest ranked shipping customer service and Bloomingdales.com has the best returns customer service.

San Jose, Calif. – Samsung has reportedly hired a high-level store designer from Apple. According to multiple media reports, the U.S., telecom unit of Samsung recently hired Tim Gudgel, a five-year veteran store designer at Apple, as VP and GM of retail sales operations.

A search is underway for a new CEO to lead Dorel Industries recreational and leisure products segment following the departure of Robert Baird.

Until a replacement for Baird is named, Peter Woods, CFO of the recreational and leisure segment, will serve as CEO. Baird joined Dorel as president of the recreation and leisure segment in 2008 as part of a reorganization after previously serving in a senior leadership role at Philips Electronics. He also held key roles as companies such as Samsonite, Scott Paper, Bristol Myers and Procter & Gamble before arriving at Dorel.

London — Starwood Capital Group has acquired seven retail parks and shopping gallerias in Sweden for SEK 3.9 billion, according to CBRE, Starwood’s adviser on the transaction. Kooperativa Forbundet, a Swedish retail group, was the seller.

Oak Park, Ill. — Edwards Realty Company has acquired the North & Harlem Plaza in Oak Park, Ill., for $4.7 million, according to Mid-America Real Estate, which represented the seller, Hudson Advisors LLC, in the transaction.

The 23,320-sq.-ft. center features Dunkin’ Donuts, The UPS Store, Check‘n Go, American Mattress and Batteries Plus.

Los Angeles – More than half (54%) of shoppers believe the best holiday discounts will be in December and 83% will continue to comparison shop for gifts throughout the month. PriceGrabber has released results from its December Winter Holiday Shopping Survey, of 3,299 U.S. online shopping consumers, that shows 87% of consumers will conduct most of their holiday shopping in December this year (compared to 78% in 2012).

Toronto, Canada -- Staples Canada has announced its sustainability achievements for the third quarter of 2013, meeting its recycling and energy efficiency program goals.

Fort Worth, Texas — RadioShack has opened a new concept store in Fairfax Center II in Fairfax, Va.

The new concept stores feature a speaker wall where customers can compare 13 different speakers; interactive displays with headphone demo stations; technology explained by touch-screens and apps; brands such as Apple, HTC and Samsung as well as mobile carriers including AT&T, Sprint and Verizon; and a do-it-yourself area where customers can plan projects.