eCommerce

Severe weather that persisted during the year’s shortest month affected Gap’s February sales results. 

The company reported net sales for the four-week period ended March 1 of $929 million, compared with net sales of $966 million for the four-week period ended March 2, 2013. Comparable-store sales for the month declained 7%, versus last year’s 3% increase.

“While February was clearly a difficult month, we remain focused on executing our global priorities,” said chairman and CEO Glenn Murphy.

The Bon-Ton Stores is investing in its growing e-commerce business. The company has signed a lease with Duke Realty Corp for a 743,000-sq.-ft., automated, direct-to-consumer fulfillment center in West Jefferson, Ohio.

The company expects the facility to be fully operational and ship its first orders in spring of 2015.

Boston – Wayfair has raised $157 million in equity financing to fuel continued growth of the company's portfolio of home brands. The Series B investment round, led by funds and accounts managed by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc., encompassed a limited number of key investors, including growth-focused mutual funds, as well as a private investment from Julie M.B. Bradley, TripAdvisor CFO and Wayfair board member.

Coupons.com has gone public. The digital promotional platform has priced its initial public offering of 10,500,000 shares of common stock at $16 per share, which is above the reported expected range of $12 to $14.

Coupons.com has also granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,575,000 shares. Shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today under ticker symbol "COUP."

Goldman, Sachs & Co., Allen & Company LLC, BofA Merrill Lynch and RBC Capital Markets LLC are acting as bookrunners.

York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. has signed a lease with Duke Realty Corp for a 743,000-sq.-ft., automated, direct-to-consumer fulfillment center in West Jefferson, Ohio, to support its growing e-commerce operations. The company anticipates the facility to be fully operational and ship its first orders in spring of 2015.

Walmart’s tepid sales performance in the fourth quarter is water under the bridge, so when Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon spoke this week at an investor conference he quickly focused on the growth potential of smaller stores, which are being expanded at a more rapid pace.

New York -- A new white paper from Austin, Texas-based Accruent offers retailers insights into key project management challenges.

Called “The Business Case for an Automated Project Management Solution,” the paper discusses ways to maximize store profitability by reducing the time and cost required to open new locations. It also summarizes research findings that support automating project management toward portfolio-wide visibility and maximum real estate asset value.

Ongoing weakness at Staples' North American retail division has resulted in the planned closure of 225 units as part of a larger expense savings program and increased emphasis on digital initiatives.

The store closure announcement, part of a larger plan expected to save $500 million by the end of 2015, was announced in conjunction with the release of fourth-quarter results and new insights regarding the company’s online business.