Direct To Consumer (DTC)

New York -- Fast-fashion giant H&M on Thursday celebrated the opening of its flagship on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. At 57,000 sq. ft., it is the retailer’s largest store in the world and 13th location in Manhattan. It also is the first H&M in the United States to offer a full concierge service, and to carry the full H&M Home collection.

Williams-Sonoma has appointed Ronald R. Young SVP, global, as part of its strategy to grow the brand outside the United States.

“Global expansion is one of our most important initiatives, and I’m pleased to have Ron Young, with his more than 30 years of experience in global markets, leading our continued growth,” said president and CEO Laura Alber. “Ron’s deep understanding of the global retail landscape, and his financial discipline are the ideal combination of skills and experience to lead our global strategy.”

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma announced the hiring of Ronald R. Young as senior VP global. Young will grow the portfolio of Williams-Sonoma brands outside the United States.

San Francisco – Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids opened stores Tuesday, July 15 at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street, a premier retail destination in Manila, Philippines. As part of parent company William-Sonoma Inc.’s strategic global expansion, these stores are the first Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids locations in Southeast Asia.

Amazon’s reputation as the online low price leader has come under attack from opponents of its dynamic pricing model and now a new tool from Savings.com is designed to help shoppers thwart the online giant’s algorithms.

PriceJump is the creation of Savings.com, a Web site that contends it gives shoppers the best deals on everything they want. The new service instantly compares Amazon product prices to prices around the web, dispelling the myth that Amazon always offers the best deals, according to Savings.com.

Seattle - Hardy Capital Partners, along with a small group of Canadian investors, have acquired 100% of OnlineShoes.com, a $140 million profitable online footwear retailer based out of Seattle. Hardy Capital Partners has also acquired 100% of ShoeMe.ca, a Vancouver-based online footwear retailer, for an undisclosed amount.

With back-to-school season underway, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is looking to drive student traffic to its stores with an exclusive savings offering for qualified students between now and July 31.