eCommerce

Dollar General is set to grow its already considerable footprint through an acquisition.   The discounter will acquire all 323 stores from Dollar Express, according to the Charlotte Observer.    

The woman whose quirky, eclectic personal style came to define J. Crew — and who is the No.2 executive at the company — is leaving.    Jenna Lyons, president and executive creative director, is stepping down from the struggling retailer. She will remain with J.Crew as a creative advisor until her contract expires in December 2017.     

Amazon has launched a new way for customers to shop its site without using a bank card or credit card.    Called Amazon Cash, the service allows consumers to add cash to their Amazon.com balance by showing a barcode at a participating brick-and-mortar store, with the cash then applied immediately to the consumer’s  online Amazon account.  Notably, Walmart already offers a similar type of service for customers without a credit or debit card, as does PayPal.   

  A just-released analysis of the U.S. retail sector offers positive news for an industry that has been subject to some gloomy assessments in recent times.   Despite the rash of recent Chapter 11 filings and store closings, the U.S. retail sector as a whole remains incredibly strong and shows no signs of slowing down, according to a report by business intelligence firm Creditsafe USA.  

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court. Since vacancies on the bench are rare and the political stakes so high, few spectacles in Washington D.C. invite this level of drama. He was confirmed by the committee but when his nomination eventually goes to the floor of the Senate for a vote, the real fun will begin. (See “nuclear option.”) Lost in the hype is what his eventual seat on the court will mean to retail operators.  

Gander Mountain has taken a step toward keeping the brand in business.    The outdoor retailer, which filed for bankruptcy protection on March 13, has filed a stalking horse bid. A joint venture comprised of Gordon Brothers and Hilco Merchant Resources has proposed to purchase substantially all of the retailer’s assets. This stalking horse bid will act as a baseline, in effort to ward off low offers on the chain’s assets.  

South Moon Under is on the move.   The on-trend fashion retailer, which carries a variety of contemporary brands, will open its first stores in the South in April, with locations at Ponce City Market, Atlanta, and Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia. In the fall, the company will open a store at Shops Around Lenox, Atlanta.    

Consumer expectations in retail are changing more rapidly than ever. As e-commerce takes ever-larger shares of retail and redefines customer expectations, retailers are hard at work developing stronger online presences, seamless links between their online and brick-and-mortar offerings, and faster and cheaper delivery to meet rising customer demands.