Department Store

Denver - Consumers who shop at higher-end department stores and boutiques expect impeccable presentation whether purchases are made in-store or delivered to them, free shipping and returns, and locator services. According to a new study of 1,000 women who earn more than $75,000 annually by luxury retail packing and shipping solution provider Wrap & Send, 65% spend more than $100 at a physical retail store per month and 57% often purchase items in a physical store and have the store ship it to them.

The survey also found that:

Austin, Texas — Jones Lang LaSalle has hired Todd Wallace and Robert O’Farrell to lead its retail brokerage practice in Austin, Texas. Wallace joins the firm as an executive VP and O’Farrell will serve as a senior VP.

“We’re committed to growing our local market retail practice in key hubs around the United States,” said Greg Maloney, president and CEO of Retail, Jones Lang LaSalle.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Black Friday shopping may be on the decline, according to a new study by CFI Group, a customer satisfaction technology and analytics firm. The company’s 2013 Holiday Retail Spending Report found fewer than 25% of consumers plan to spend more than half of their total holiday shopping budgets during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period. But 45% said they will begin before November, with 61% indicating they'll finish their shopping completely by early December

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears and Kmart are offering members of the Shop Your Way loyalty program a variety of new services for the holidays. For example, Kmart's lease-to-own program through Whynot Leasing, LLC will be available nationwide starting Nov. 22, giving customers a no-credit-required way to take home products immediately.

Warren, Mich. — Art Van Furniture has announced the opening of a 46,000-sq.-ft. store in Fort Wayne, Ind., across the street from the Glen brook Mall in January.

With 50 stores across Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois, Art Van Furniture is the Midwest’s largest furniture retailer.

Macy’s plans to get a jump on Black Friday and break tradition by opening the doors to most of its locations nationwide at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening, making it the first time in its history that the retailer will be open for business on the holiday.

Limited-time specials in every department for hundreds of items include exclusive fragrances, name-brand apparel and kitchen gadgets. Macy's will also donate $2 to Make-a-Wish, up to $100,000, for any One Direction "Our Moment" fragrance purchase beginning at opening for Black Friday.

Stamford, Conn. -- GE Capital Retail Bank announced a long-term extension of its private label and dual card credit program with J.C. Penney Co.

Launched in 1999, the credit card program is managed by GE Capital’s Retail Finance business and available for purchases at any of the nearly 1,100 J.C. Penney stores across the United States and Puerto Rico.

Chico's FAS’ expansion plans are taking it outside U.S. borders, to Canada. The women's apparel retailer is opening a White House Black Market store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto on Oct. 24, and will follow it up with an opening at Square One, Mississauga on Oct. 29, as well as an opening at Upper Canada Mall, Newmarket on November 12.