Direct To Consumer (DTC)

LOS ANGELES — Virtual Piggy initiated a consumer acquisition campaign to start building its subscriber base. Throughout the past four months, Virtual Piggy has added more than 400,000 new accounts most of which are based in the U.S. and some which were recently added in Canada.  

LOS ANGELES — Specialty sporting goods retailer Sport Chalet is touting its services and assorted selection of brands to runners. 

The retailer is reminding runners that it offers “extensive online show advice” to accurately fit athletes with the correct running shoe, not to mention a selection of brands which include Adidas, Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Nike, Reebok and Saucony. The retailer also offers custom in-store gait assessments.

LOS ALTOS, Calif. — Catalog Spree, a personal digital mall that lets consumers browse and shop their favorite catalogs, has expanded the men’s section of its mobile app to include lookbooks featuring Kenneth Cole, Original Penguin, Perry Ellis and Thomas Pink. 

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. reported net sales of $3.87 billion for the second quarter of 2013, up 8% from $3.58 billion for the second quarter last year. Net sales for July of this year totaled $1.12 billion, close to 6% higher than $1.06 billion in July of the previous year.

SEATTLE -- Amazon's grocery service might be making its way to New York next year, according to published reports.

Citing analysis from SunTrust analyst Robert Peck, EcommerceBytes.com reported that the Seattle-based online retailer may start offering Amazon Fresh in New York in 2014, based on his finding that the company had expanded into a New Jersey warehouse previously used by C&S Wholesale Grocers.

New York – As a result of slumping net and same-store sales, Aeropostale is forecasting a net loss per share of between 42 cents and 44 cents during the second fiscal quarter of this year, which is 19 cents higher than the previously issued guidance. The revised estimate is based on a 6% decrease in net sales to $454 million, from $485.3 million in the year ago period.

By Ted Vaughan, [email protected]

The year 2012 was the best year for retail IPOs since 2002 — S&P Capital IQ reported seven offerings for the year — and when we released our 2013 IPO Outlook Study earlier this year, 30% of capital markets executives expected initial public offerings (IPOs) in the retail and consumer products space to continue to grow in 2013. Now that we’re well into the second half of the year, how have those expectations fared?

Columbus, Ohio -- The Limited said Wednesday it has appointed former Brooks Bros. president and COO Diane Ellis as its new CEO, effective Aug. 26.
 
In her role at Brooks Bros., Ellis oversaw information technology, human resources, retail and outlet stores, planning and allocation, product development, sourcing, supply chain, e-commerce and finance.