eCommerce

The cranes have arrived at the 92-acre lot along Clovis Avenue in Fresno, California, to erect the parking garage at what will be Fancher Creek Town Center, and the locals couldn’t be happier.   “I think it’s super. We need something. You have to catch the freeway and go up north to get to anything,” resident Diana Williams told KFSN news in Fresno this week.  

A company named after the first reptile to develop the feather for flight — archaeopteryx lithographica — is moving to expand its fledgling store portfolio.

Founded in 1991, Vancouver, British Columbia-based Arc’teryx is a manufacturer of high-performance outdoor apparel and equipment. Although the brand’s roots lie in the climbing landscape, it has long since expanded to include skiing, backpacking and other outdoor activities.

Chain Store Age recently sat down with Stefan Weitz, chief product and strategy officer of omnichannel commerce and service provider Radial (formerly eBay Enterprise), to discuss how retailers can offer a seamless experience and have a successful holiday.
    
What is the biggest challenge retailers face when trying to enable omnichannel?

In many cases, it’s thinking they can do omnichannel by themselves.

Los Gatos Village Square

Location: 15466 Los Gatos Boulevard, between California Highways 85 and 17 in Los Gatos, California

Size: 46,235 sq. ft.

Developer: Donahue Schriber Realty Group

Grocery anchor: Trader Joe’s

Key tenants: Pet Food Express, See’s Candies, The UPS Store, AAA Automobile Club, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Five Below continues its rapid expansion.   The extreme-value retailer will open its 500th store in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 9.  

The Michaels Companies, named Denise Paulonis as executive VP – CFO, effective Aug. 29. The appointment is part of the retailer’s previously announced CFO succession plan.   Paulonis, currently senior VP – finance, succeeds Chuck Sonsteby, vice chairman and CFO. He will continue to serve as vice chairman and will retain executive responsibility for the growth and integration of Lamrite West and the management of Aaron Brothers stores.    

Various forms of online sales tax legislation have been introduced in Congress over the past 15 years but none have won passage. And now there is a new proposal.     

There’s no getting around it: It’s been a long, hot summer for the retail industry, one that many retailers will be happy to see end.

From the liquidation of The Sports Authority and Hancock Fabrics to the downsizing of Macy’s and Office Max (to name a few), the past few months have been full of angst as merchants struggle to find their way in a disrupted marketplace.

The good news is that many merchants are rising to the task. They are making the hard calls, however painful, and investments necessary to compete in today’s omnichannel world.