Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Walmart Canada has appointed Lee Tappenden, COO, Walmart Canada to the position of president and CEO, Walmart Canada, effective Aug. 15.   Tappenden joined Walmart in 1996 and has held a number of global leadership roles with the company, including chief merchandising officer with Walmart Japan and VP of merchandising for the international division.  

Japanese specialty apparel retailer Uniqlo is expanding its U.S. presence into the Southeast, and is also expanding its relationship with Disney.    The company will open a two-level, 25,000-sq.-ft. store on July 15 in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It will be Uniqlo’s first location in the Southeast.   

Malls and outdoor centers are increasingly seeking out small and local merchants to help them stand out from the competition.   Kimco, for example,  has expanded a program that offers small businesses one year of free rent and reduced property charges, CNBC reported.  Originally started in California four years ago, the program has since been expanded to centers in 19 states.    

Determining if an online clothing purchase will fit properly is a challenge for many women.    Launched in May 2016, e-commerce site Fovo curates apparel selections that are tailored to female shoppers’ specific body shapes.   “The way forward is personalization,” said Fovo cofounder Kiana Anvaripour in a Chain Store Age interview. We want to help women optimize the experience of shopping online for apparel so the ‘endless scroll’ doesn’t exist.”

Barnes & Noble is getting serious about restaurants.   The bookseller announced it has promoted Jaime Carey, currently COO, to president of development & restaurant group, effective immediately. Carey will be responsible for overseeing the chain’s real estate development and its newly created restaurant group.   

Think online is the biggest challenge traditional retailers face? Think again.  

Circuit City is reportedly getting closer to a relaunch.   The new owner of the defunct consumer electronics chain is currently working with brokers from CBRE to open a 6,000-sq.-ft. to 9,000-sq.-ft. prototype store in Dallas, reported consumer electronics industry publication Twice.     The relaunched business will also include a dedicated e-commerce site, as well as a presence on digital marketplaces such as Amazon.    

In a big step to grow its business in China, Walmart has entered into an agreement to acquire a 5% stake in JD.com, China’s second largest e-commerce company.