eCommerce

(Photos courtesy of Toys 'R' Us)

Stein Mart says warm weather is to blame for its lackluster performance in the third quarter as the company makes plans to increase promotions to improve its top-line growth.

The off-price retailer said that for the third quarter ended Oct. 31, same-store sales fell 2.3%. Total sales also dropped 1% to $300.7 million during the same time period. Profits dipped to $82.2 million, or 27.3% of sales compared to $84.6 million or 27.8% of sales during the same time period in 2014.

After reporting a sales decline and third quarter loss, Stage Stores offered a unique explanation due the location of its 847 stores.

The company’s sales and same store sales both declined 3.5% and a net loss of $9.4 million equated to an earnings per share loss of 29 cents, compared to a prior year earnings per share loss of 16 cents.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may still be cool, after all.

A new study on the holiday shopping habits of almost 7,000 millennials by product discovery platform Influenster shows that 93% of respondents plan on shopping Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday this year.

Digital gift cards are less risky than retailers think, and that’s not the only common piece of online fraud “wisdom” that is false.

The Technology Fraud Lab at eBay Enterprise has released a list of five online fraud myths. These include:

• Myth #1: Digital gift cards are too risky to sell.

Retailers looking to satisfy customers this holiday season need to be sure all channels are aligned and working properly.

The new "2015 Connected Shoppers Report” of more than 2,000 adults commissioned by Salesforce and conducted by Harris Poll demonstrates that in order to succeed, retailers need to accelerate digital transformations to provide personalized, one-to-one customer journeys.

A specialty retailer that is defined by consistent same-store increases for the past three quarters, an over-the-top televised fashion show and loyal customers who still love its in-store experience has chalked up another record quarter.

L Brands, the parent company of Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works, kept its winning streak going in the third quarter ended Oct. 31. Same-store sales increased 7%. Net sales rose 7% to $2.48 billion.

Net income rose 24.4% to a better-than-expected $164 million, compared to $131.8 million last year.

The CEO of Kirkland's blamed disappointing third quarter sales on traffic problems that he expects to persist into the fourth quarter despite the busy holiday season ahead.

Waikiki, Hawaii -- Taubman announced that International Market Place located on the island of O’ahu in Waikiki, Hawaii, will welcome 10 restaurant concepts including those by world-renowned Chefs Michael Mina and Roy Yamaguchi.

How many retailers have boasted of record sales and earnings in the third quarter? So far the answer is only one (hint: It hosts a bra and panty show on national television every fall).