Department Store

Cincinnati -- Macy’s Inc. is launching a large number of omnichannel strategies and technologies encompassing stores, online and mobile. In addition to supporting the new Apple Pay mobile payment system, the department store retailer’s new moves include piloting same-day delivery, testing new POS technology and customer service enhancements, and expanding its use of RFID to fashion categories.

Late last month, Ann Inc. received an open letter from activist investors Engine Capital and Red Adler urging the company to sell at a substantial premium above current stock price. The company has today publicly responded to the letter, stressing its board is “very active and consistently has been, and remains, focused on enhancing shareholder value.”

Ann Inc. also said its board regularly reviews all options and uses a financial adviser to help evaluate them.

Green Bay, Wis. – Shopko is running a six-week Facebook giveaway. Now through Oct. 11, customers can enter to win prize packages from some of Shopko's most popular brands.

To enter, customers can “like” Shopko on Facebook, and then watch for posts on the featured brand of the week with more information on how to sign up. One winner will be randomly selected every Friday and announced on the following Monday.

Toronto – So far, the November 2013 purchase of Saks Fifth Avenue by Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) is paying dividends. HBC reported strong results during the second quarter of fiscal 2014, including a shrinking of its net loss from $81 million in the second quarter of the prior fiscal year to $36 million.

Primarily due to the addition of Saks revenue, total sales climbed 87% to $1.77 billion from $948 million. Consolidated same-store sales grew 1.9%. Digital sales were $162 million, including $116 million from Saks.

Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s will be among the first retailers to support the new Apple Pay mobile payment system, which will be available beginning this fall on new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus mobile devices, as well as on the newly unveiled Apple Watch. It’s just part of the company’s expanding omnichannel strategy.

This fall, T.J.Maxx is partnering with Erika Christensen and designer Jenn Rogien, who has made headlines for her wardrobe curations for hit TV series such as “Girls” and “Orange Is the New Black,” for a new ad campaign revolving around a woman’s style.

New York – Ann Inc. is publicly responding to an open letter sent by activist investors Engine Capital and Red Alder on Aug. 25, which urged the company to sell at a substantial premium above current stock price. In a press release, Ann Inc. said its board is “very active and consistently has been, and remains, focused on enhancing shareholder value.”

Ann Inc. also said its board regularly reviews all options and uses a financial advisor to help evaluate them.

Dallas -- Neiman Marcus Group has signed an agreement to acquire the German luxury fashion e-commerce site  Mytheresa.com and Theresa, its flagship Munich store from Christoph and Susanne Botschen and Acton Capital Partners. The transaction is expected to close later this year.