eCommerce

Bentonville, Ark. –- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is partnering with Holoma Inc. to provide a service that is a Walmart exclusive through the holiday season. Consumers can use the online service to create interactive photo cards and gifts that play a related video.    

Toronto, Canada –- J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. will reportedly end its agreement to issue credit cards for Sears Canada when the term expires Nov. 15, 2015. According to the Wall Street Journal, in the meantime the two companies will explore opportunities to sell the credit card program to a third party, with Sears Canada receiving as much as $154 million if a sale goes through.  

Newport Beach, Calif. –- Formerly pure-play online specialty cosmetics retailer Urban Decay has reportedly entered the brick-and-mortar arena. According to the Los Angeles Times, Urban Decay opened its first physical store, at the Fashion Island mall in its headquarters town of Newport Beach, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 17.  

Merrimack, N.H. -- Brookstone Inc. will appoint senior retail executive Thomas M. Via as president and CEO, and as a member of its board of directors, effective Dec. 1. Steven H. Schwartz, who had been serving as interim CEO, will resume his role as chief merchandising officer.  

Indianapolis -- Nearly four-fifths of holiday shoppers (79%) begin their holiday shopping prior to Thanksgiving weekend. According to new data from Simon, Millennials are significantly more likely than all other generations to plan to shop on Black Friday (67%) and Christmas Eve (20%) this holiday season.   Other notable findings include:  

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. is offering an exclusive holiday app, “Santa's Merry Mission.” On the Team Santa site, children can take a personality quiz to determine which of the eight reindeer is their favorite, and then follow the steps to create their own plush toy.   

Philadelphia –- Urban Outfitters missed Wall Street expectations for the third quarter of fiscal 2015 with a larger-than-predicted 33% decline in net income to $47.14 million from $70.26 million in the same period a year earlier. In addition, same-store sales fell 1% compared to expectations of flat results.  

Columbus, Ohio -- Big Lots has launched a marketing program around spurring holiday home décor purchases by declaring Nov.16-22, 2014, as the nation's first Decorate Your Home for the Holidays Week.