Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Remember Circuit City? According to a new report from Twice, the new owners of the naming rights to the electronics chain have an ambitious plan to open retail outlets, websites, branded and private-label products, licensed kiosks, mobile shops and franchise opportunities -- all under the Circuit City banner. [Twice]

It was a happy holiday season at Amazon.com where fourth quarter profits more than doubled, sales increased 22% and the company handily surpassed annual sales of $100 billion for the first time.

Amazon.com said its net sales increased 22% to $35.7 billion in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2015, compared with $29.3 billion in fourth quarter 2014. With a $1.2 billion unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates, fourth quarter sales would have increased 26%.

Ride-sharing service Uber is getting more aggressive in its jockeying for position in the online delivery marketplace.

In October 2015, Uber expanded its UberRush same-day delivery service from New York, where it had been operating for about two years, to San Francisco and Chicago. UberRush uses Uber drivers to deliver merchandise from retailers to customers for a $5-$7 fee, often in minutes.

Lands’ End is making some significant executive moves in the wake of reporting a preliminary same-store sales decline of 8% to 10% for the fourth quarter.

Lands' End announced that it has named James (Jim) Gooch as its new executive VP, COO and CFO. Gooch will report directly to Marchionni, and will be responsible for overseeing operational and financial functions for the company. He will succeed Michael Rosera, who will be leaving the company.

Tiffany & Co. has come up with a new way to showcase its brand and it has nothing to do with jewelry.

The retailer announced it has entered into an agreement with Coty for the development, production and distribution of a new line of Tiffany fragrances for both women and men, to be sold at Tiffany & Co. stores as well as at other select luxury retailers.

The eBay platform facilitated commerce of nearly $22 billion in the fourth quarter, a 5% increase, and counted roughly 265 million transactions during the holiday season.

Athletic wear giant Under Armour plans to open some 200 store in 2016, according to The Street. While the brand did not comment, the report said the expansion would likely include a mixture of store types, including outlet locations, “Brand House” stores, (the company’s full-price, experiential format) and in-store shops. [The Street]

Family-owned and operated Broadway Panhandler, in Manhattan’s East Village, is going out of business after 40 years in operation.

The cookware store has long been a cult fave among restaurant chefs and home cooks alike.

As to the reason, the owner cited health issues of his wife and said his attempts to sell the business were unsuccessful, according to the New York Times.

Patricia Whisler played a key role in the success of The Buckle but now she is stepping down from a key role in the apparel and accessories retailer’s merchandising organization.

The Buckle, Inc. has announced that Whisler, senior VP of Women’s Merchandising, will retire from her position with the company later this spring.

Consumer interest in wearables is booming for reasons that retailers should find encouraging.

New research from Mintel reveals that the U.S. wearable technology market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with estimated sales increasing 186% from 2014-2015, reaching $7 billion in 2015.

And despite just one in 10 consumers owning a fitness tracker (12%) or smartwatch (7%), 16% of consumers said they planned to purchase a fitness tracker or smartwatch in the final three months of 2015.