eCommerce

Retailers’ returns policies are critical factors in consumers' purchasing decisions. But many consumers are far from pleased with their experience.    This was revealed in Voxware’s third biennial report, which highlights why consumers return items purchased online or by phone and how their experiences with the returns process affects their future intentions to shop with retailers.  

As digital disruptors continue to alter retail operations, brands are working to harness these emerging innovations to drive engagement among shoppers and employees. Look for the National Retail Federation’s upcoming 106th annual convention to educate attendees on these and other critical business strategies.

Packed and bursting with opportunities

Ground-up projects are hard to come by here, but shopping center innovation and new retailers are not

Density and diversity. The two D’s. That, in short, is what sums up the Northeast market for retailers. It’s the place where chains with national expansion plans or new formats to test need to be.

New retailers and new consumers (read: millennials) are discovering value retail, and that means more outlet centers in more locales in more different configurations.

Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th will open its first location in Montreal, at CF Galeries d’Anjou. The approximately 30,000-sq.-ft. store will open this summer.   “We have now announced four locations across Quebec and we look forward to bringing the Off 5th experience to these areas, said Jonathan Greller, president, Saks Off 5th and Gilt.    CF Galeries d’Anjou is managed by Cadillac Fairview, and jointly owned by Cadillac Fairview and Ivanhoé Cambridge.  

U.S. real estate developers and brokers coping with epic changes in the retail landscape can take some solace from the fact that, when it comes to overstoring, America’s got nothing on China.   A list of cities with the most shopping center space under construction from CBRE Research had Chinese cities occupying 11 of the top 12 spots, led by Chongqing with 39.8 million sq. ft. being built. Shenzhen (38.7 million) and Chengdu (37.6 million) weren’t far behind.  

Job postings by Amazon may have revealed the company’s newest apparel entry: athleisure.   Several online job listings published by Amazon in December suggest that the online giant is developing a line of workout apparel, reported ReCode.     

Innovation is today’s buzzword. And it was all the talk at Chain Store Age’s X/SPECS 2016, as key executives from some of the nation’s leading retail and restaurant chains zeroed in on real-world strategies designed to innovate stores and elevate customer experiences.