eCommerce

Target is taking a page from Apple and remodeling its electronics department to echo the minimalist format seen in Apple and even Best Buy stores, according to a report in the StarTribune.

 “It’s more a minimalist approach with space for consumers to touch and test the merchandise,” said Chris Christopher, director of consumer electronics at IHS Global Insight in Massachusetts, in the report.

Driving sales with an established brand at multiple retail accounts is hard enough for the biggest consumer packaged goods companies. Creating a new brand in a nonexistent category is even more daunting as a pair of entrepreneurial family members discovered a decade ago when they launched the Granite Gold line of stone-care products. This is their story.

Two stone guys with no experience in consumer package goods or retail set out to conquer the world by trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Pittsburgh -- Dick's Sporting Goods announced the openings of two new stores, one in Kentucky, and its first ever in the state of Wyoming.

The retailer said it will open a store in Casper, Wy., on Oct. 25 at the Eastridge Mall. Also on Oct. 25, Dick’s will open at Gary Farms, Bowling Green, Ky.

The Bowling Green location will be the retailer's ninth store in the state of Kentucky and its 544th nationwide. 
 

Cheshire, Conn. -- Macy's and Bloom Energy announced that an innovative clean electricity generation system has been installed at Macy’s online fulfillment center in Cheshire, Conn. The servers, from Bloom Energy, use an advanced solid oxide fuel cell technology to produce electricity on-site.

New York — INTIMACY (bra fit stylists) has opened a lingerie shop at 104 Fifth Avenue in the New York City’s Flatiron retail district. Faith Hope Consolo Chairman, and Joseph A. Aquino, executive VP of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group, represented the landlord in the transaction. Stacey Robins Realty represented INTIMACY.

Other national and international brands with stores in the area include Aldo, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Coach, J.Crew, Kenneth Cole and 7 for all mankind.

Dallas – Four-in-10 (43%) of U.S. smartphone users purchased a good via their device in the last month. The new Parks Associates study “Mobile Commerce: Keys to Mass Adoption” also shows that 54% of Target shoppers have used their smartphone to make an in-store purchase in the last month, compared to 38% of Wal-Mart customers.

Leading U.K. food retailer Sainsbury just past online grocery sales of £1 billion ($1.6 billion U.S.) and to celebrate the occasion announced plans to open its first dedicated online fulfillment center in east London.

Home delivery of grocery is more commonplace in the U.K., especially London, where higher population densities and prohibitively high fuel prices discourage vehicle ownership.

Stuart Weitzman plans to open up a pop-up shop in the digital space. The upscale footwear brand has partnered with the online shopping destination, Gilt, to launch the store, created exclusively by Gilt.

The online pop-up will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Stuart Weitzman’s iconic, over-the-knee 5050 boot and feature a 20-piece Anniversary Collection, which includes ten limited-edition styles.