eCommerce

Cincinnati -- Kroger Co. on Thursday reported a big increase in its first quarter profit and its 46th consecutive quarter of positive identical supermarket sales growth, excluding fuel.

“Our results show the power of our Customer 1st Strategy," stated Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO, Kroger. "Our associates are making a difference for our customers by providing excellent service and product quality and selection, and we continue to improve the shopping experience by bringing technology and digital capabilities to our business.

Customers have responded so well to New York & Company’s collaboration with Eva Mendes that the retailer has extended its deal with the Cuban-American actress.

Launches in 2013, the Eva Mendes Collection features five seasonal assortments and 11 unique deliveries a year, which feature apparel and accessories.

A former Walmart executive has joined with a real estate executive to expand New York City-based luxury home décor retailer Gracious Home.

No great surprise that Walmart sits atop the Fortune 500 list of the world’s largest companies with its annual revenues of $485.6 billion.

Naturally, that raises familiar questions about future growth which were addressed by president and CEO Doug McMillon.

According to Fortune, Walmart is a crossroads as it transitions from the big-box era that propelled it to the world's largest company, to one in which customers are fussier about what they eat and can easily comparison shop thanks to the internet.

New York -- Federal regulations governing unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, will be in place by this time next year.

Most retailers won’t be ready, but Amazon says it will be as soon as the feds are. Testifying at a congressional hearing on June 17, Paul Misener, Amazon.com’s VP of global public policy told lawmakers it would be ready to deliver packages via its service branded as Prime Air as soon as federal rules are in place.

Madrid – Spain-based European department store chain El Corte Inglés will launch a mobile shopping platform for its Portuguese market powered by Grability technology. Since launching Grability in December 2014 for the Spanish retail market, El Cortes Inglés says it has experienced a surge in mobile grocery sales, as well as customer enthusiasm for the new platform.

According to El Corte Inglés executives, Grability has also helped position the company as the most innovative online grocer in the countries it operates.

New York - Borderfree, provider of international cross-border e-commerce solutions, has expanded its platform to reach more than 220 countries and territories. This expansion of scope includes an additional 120 countries and 15 currencies.

Key emerging luxury markets Borderfree will now sell to include Nigeria and Kazakhstan. Both markets offer opportunities for e-commerce expansion due to increasing smartphone saturation and discretionary spending.

The additional countries will be available to Borderfree customers starting this June.

Dedham, Mass. – The Legacy Place shopping center is opening an Eddie Bauer location on July 2. The Legacy Place store will feature outerwear, apparel, footwear, gear, and accessories for men and women.

“Eddie Bauer not only enhances the overall merchandise mix of the center, it also adds another reason to make Legacy Place your first choice shopping destination” said Beth Winbourne, general manager, Legacy Place.

New York -- One of the world’s largest retailers has undertaken a search is underway for a new CEO to execute a massive transformation. But getting to the interview will require U.S. executives to take a very long flight and the successful applicant will need good listening skills to decipher the accent of co-workers.

Brooklyn, N.Y. - Home furnishings retailer West Elm has named Johanna Uurasjarvi as senior VP of design, responsible for guiding the overall creative direction of the West Elm brand across its retail, catalog and online channels. She will lead the product design team and report to West Elm president Jim Brett.