eCommerce

New York -- Century 21 Department Store has joined forces with retail concierge service Hobson to offer same-day delivery to hotels and homes in Manhattan from the retailer’s downtown flagship location.

New Canaan, Conn. -- Continuing a two-year slide in retail spending momentum, American shoppers will generate only a lackluster 2.9% rise in holiday sales, according to Customer Growth Partners’ 13th Annual Holiday Forecast. The CPG report paints a scenario that is decidedly less cheery than some of the other holiday forecasts that have been released to date.

Quincy, Mass. -- J.Jill is debuting a new store prototype in four locations across the country: Short Hills, N.J.; Huntington Station, N.Y.; King of Prussia, Pa.; and San Diego, Calif.

“The new approach to store design is based on our understanding of what is important to our customers,” said Paula Bennett, CEO and president, J.Jill. “We want to delight her with our beautiful, versatile collections and inspire her confidence with our guiding service. The new stores offer her a very warm welcome."

San Francisco – PBTeen, a Williams-Sonoma retail brand, will open a new store in Huntington, N.Y., on Nov. 7. It will be the first PBTeen location on Long Island, the 16th in the U.S., and also the first combined location of PBTeen, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, with pass-through access to all three stores.

Closeout retailer Tuesday Morning reported a comparable-store increase of 9.1% for the first quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to the year-ago quarter. The comparable-store sales growth was fueled by a 13.4% increase in customer transactions and a 4.3% decrease in average ticket.

The company reported a net sales increase of 6.3% to $183.7 million, compared to $172.8 million in the year-ago quarter.

Washington, D.C. – Retail sales fell in September for the first time in six months, but the decline was credited to a drop-off in auto purchases. Most U.S. retail sectors experienced broad sales gains during the month, according to the National Retail, which reported that,  excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, retail sales grew a seasonally 0.6% compared to the previous month and 3.8% unadjusted compared to the prior year.

Results of specific sectors include:

Retail sales fell in September for the first time in six months, but the decline was credited to a drop-off in auto purchases. Most U.S. retail sectors actually experienced broad sales gains during the month, according to the National Retail Federation, which reported that, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, retail sales grew a seasonally 0.6% compared to the previous month and 3.8% unadjusted compared to the prior year.

Results of specific sectors include:

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced that it plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at Gateway Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The approximately 33,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2014. Gateway Center is owned and managed by Related Companies.  

When it opens, the Gateway Center Nordstrom Rack will be the company's second Brooklyn location. The first Brooklyn Rack is set to open on Fulton Street in spring 2014.