eCommerce

New York -- The world’s largest online retailer will soon be driving around and selling product out of a truck — a truck that looks like a giant Amazon package.

Bridgehampton, N.Y. -- Garnet Hill, the online and catalog retailer, is inching closer to brick-and-mortar.

The 39-year-old company is set to open its first physical store, a pop-up location in the tony Long Island town of Bridgehampton, New York. The store is designed to give customer a "touch and feel" experience for Garnet Hill’s merchandise.

While the Confederate flag has been an increasing source of controversy in recent years, retailers have long sold items featuring its image with no major outcry. But following the tragic shooting in Charleston, consumer sentiment against the “Stars and Bars” intensified to a degree that made selling Confederate flag-themed merchandise unacceptable to a large portion of the public within a few days.

Following a recent open invitation to U.S. retailers from Alibaba’s Jack Ma, everyone from established American brands to smaller mom and pop operations are looking to plug into the China opportunity. But what most American retailers don’t realize is that even with the reduced friction that technology has recently afforded, selling to the Chinese consumer is harder than it looks.

San Bruno, Calif. -- Sears has opened a store in the heart of the Silicon Valley dedicated to smart technology products for the home.

The retailer’s new “connected solutions” flagship is located at The Shops at Tanforan shopping center, in San Bruno, California. The 4,000-sq.-ft. store features a living room, kitchen, nursery, workout room, garage and outdoor area where consumers can experience the benefits of smart technology firsthand.  

New York -- Discounter 99 Cents Only has appointed a former Walmart executive as interim CFO — for the second time.

Less than a month after former Kmart executive Andy Giancamilli was named interim president and CEO, 99 Cents named Michael Fung to the role of CFO.

London – U.K. retailers Harrods, Browns, Space NK Apothecary, The Dune Group, Aspinal of London, Trunki, Brand Outlet, Austin Reed, Viyella, CC and Soletrader have all signed up to Borderfree’s global e-commerce platform.

New York – Online jewelry retailer BaubleBar is making the leap to brick-and-mortar.

Launched in 2011 by two former investment bankers with Harvard MBAs, the retailer will open its first-ever, permanent brick-and-mortar location, a 1,200-sq.-ft. shop at Roosevelt Field Mall, in Garden City, New York. The mall is one of the nation’s largest shopping centers.

Boston - Asian-inspired grocery chain H Mart is partnering with Instacart to offer Boston area delivery to customers, in as little as one hour. H Mart is bringing products including a selection of ready to eat items, a fresh assortment of meat and produce, and dry goods and ramen products to Instacart.

Customers can also combine orders from other local Instacart partners such as Whole Foods Market and Harvest Co-Op Markets, adding products from H Mart to their regular weekly grocery list.

Dallas - Bruegger's Bagels and Jamba Juice are joining forces to open nine co-branded stores in the Midwest, East Coast and New England.

The partnership will launch in September 2015 with six Bruegger's Bagels bakeries and three Jamba Juice stores to begin the rollout.