Direct To Consumer (DTC)

REI has promoted Rachel Ligtenberg to VP of retail following a 25-year tenure with the company.

In her new role, she adds retail operations to her current responsibilities of leading store design, visual merchandising and the co-op's flagship strategy.

Ligtenberg will continue to enhance REI's retail experience through new store design concepts to showcase its products, services and educational programs.

REI has promoted Rachel Ligtenberg to VP of retail following a 25-year tenure with the company.

In her new role, she adds retail operations to her current responsibilities of leading store design, visual merchandising and the co-op's flagship strategy.

Ligtenberg will continue to enhance REI's retail experience through new store design concepts to showcase its products, services and educational programs.

An innovative cause marketing initiative involving Nordstrom’s Treasure&Bond brand is being expanded to more merchandise categories, and non-profit beneficiaries couldn’t be happier.

Ross Dress for Less is opening new stores under both its namesake and dd’s Discounts banners. The specialty apparel retailer will open a 25,000-sq.-ft. Ross Dress for Less store in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Oct. 10.

This store is the 11th new Ross Dress for Less location in Idaho. The opening is part of the retailer’s 2015 expansion program, totaling approximately 70 new locations during the year.

Consumers looking for arts and crafts online may soon have a new destination. According to The Street, Amazon.com is readying the launch of Handmade at Amazon, an online marketplace of handcrafted goods that should serve as a major new competitor for Etsy Inc.

Reports of Amazon’s plans for Handmade at Amazon initially surfaced in May, but Amazon is now displaying product and seller pages, although there is no e-commerce functionality yet. An Amazon spokesperson only said “Stay tuned” when asked about a launch date for Handmade at Amazon.

Macy’s Inc. relatively new to the outlet sector but it’s making up for lost time.

On the heels of the debut of its Macy’s Backstage off-price format and the news that it would close up to 40 underperforming namesake stores, the retailer announced it will open two Bloomingdale’s Outlet stores in November, at The Shops at Liberty Place in Philadelphia, and at Westfield Mission Valley in San Diego.

Another global fashion retailer has made its U.S. debut.

Tokyo-based Tomorrowland , which has a cult following in its home country,  has opened a store in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. The retailer, which operates some 160 stores in Japan, is known for its cool fashions, upmarket prices and sleek, minimalist ambience.

The 3,200-sq.-ft. store features the brand’s exclusive men’s and women’s collections, along with a curated selection from several contemporary labels.  

Vancouver-based specialty online footwear retailer Shoes.com is sprinting toward new levels of fast delivery.

Shoes.com is offering home and office delivery in two hours or less on select items on its Canadian website.

The service costs $19.95 per order and launches Thursday, Sept. 17 in Vancouver and Toronto and surrounding municipalities, with plans to expand to Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Ottawa by the end of 2015.

Shoes.com will use a network of local fulfillment centers that have access to the retailer’s technology, operations and marketing.