Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Freeport, Maine – L.L.Bean Inc. has appointed two new independent directors to its corporate board. The new board members are Matthew Moellering, executive VP and CEO of Express Inc., and Hugh Farrington, former president and CEO of Hannaford Brothers Company.

Everyone loves pop-ups right? They’re exciting, they’re new, they’re fun and you have to hurry and get there while the getting’s good. Especially during the holidays. It’s the cool new merchandising trend.

But pop-ups are becoming, and will continue to become, more than just a trend. They are increasingly an important element of the marketing mix. I define the next phase of pop-up shops as focused physical presentations that integrate e-commerce. Here’s what’s coming next.

Customer acquisition

Brisbane, Calif. – Bebe Stores Inc. reported a net loss of $24.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, an improvement from the net loss of $49.3 million recorded in the same quarter a year earlier.

However, net sales were $93.5 million, a decrease of 17.2% from $112.9 million for the third quarter a year ago.

Same-store sales for the quarter decreased 5.7%.

San Francisco -- Revel Systems, a leading provider of iPad point-of-sale solutions, has opened its first pop-up store, in historic Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco. The initiative is a joint effort between Revel Systems and PopUpShopUp. The Revel pop-up is designed as a multi-use space hosting a variety of QSR & retail businesses that Revel has invited to be given the opportunity to have a physical store for the first time.

Boston -- Gordon Brothers Group and Hilco Merchant Resources have, effective May 8, launched the total liquidation of Coldwater Creek brick-and-mortar stores and its website.

The joint-venture team is conducting closing sales at all Coldwater Creek stores and online, offering 30% to 50% off all items.

Albuquerque, N.M. -- Consumers can shop for clothes categorized by astrological signs at the newly launched Fashionsofthezodiac.com, described as the world's first online store to organize its clothing and accessories by the 12 signs of the zodiac. The company expects to open a store early next year, in Denver.

New York -- Amazon has expanded its Sunday delivery service to 15 additional cities. The service launched last year in the Los Angeles and New York metro areas.

Jacksonville, Fla. – Body Central swung to a net loss of $9.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 from net income of $2.7 million a year earlier. Net revenues decreased 26.6% to $59.7 million, compared to $81.4 million for the first quarter of 2013, and same-store sales fell 26.8%.