eCommerce

Eataly is taking its Italian food marketplace format to Canada.   The company announced plans to open its first Canadian location in early 2019, as an anchor tenant of the newly renovated Manulife Centre in Toronto.   Eataly, which combines food markets, restaurants, and eateries, will span three stories for a total space of 50,000 sq. ft.  

Fun. And smaller stores.   Both are part of Toys “R” Us’ plan to revive itself, Bloomberg reported.  

Although most Americans are still irritated to see holiday items appear in the store alongside Halloween goodies and don’t like stores being open on Thanksgiving, attitudes are beginning to change.   

Omnichannel has pushed the envelope on customer expectations, and retailers need to deliver — literally.   Express is not only meeting customer expectations, it is exceeding them by outsourcing its fulfillment and freight operations to Radial. The omnichannel technology and operations provider’s Richwood, Kent.-based fulfillment center features space specifically built out to support Express’ back-end omnichannel needs.   

With its deal to buy Jet.com officially close, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon decided to answer a question that many folks have been asking: Why Jet.com?   In a blog on its website, McMillon listed the top five reasons it bought the online startup. The top reason: to better serve Walmart customers and reach new ones.  

A South African-based company is now the owner of the largest mattress retailer in the United States.   Steinhoff International Holdings NV announced it completed its acquisition of Mattress Firm Holding Corp.    As a result of the completion of the transaction, which was first announced in August, Mattress Firm’s common stock will no longer be traded on the NASDAQ stock market.  

Hot on the heels of its first U.S. store, Surmesur, a made-to-measure online men’s clothing retailer, has brought its original custom menswear concept to Chicago.   The Chicago store is the eighth for the custom menswear retailer and the second outside Canada's borders, with the recent opening of a store in Pittsburgh.  

Gone are the days when Black Friday signified the official launch of the holiday shopping season.    In fact, nearly half (49%) of shoppers will have a bulk of their holiday shopping done by Thanksgiving Day, according to a new survey from market intelligence solutions provider Market Track. And digital deals will be the catalyst.