eCommerce

A few days after announcing a new fulfillment center in Edgerton, Kansas, Amazon.com is unveiling plans for another new center that will serve customers a little further west.

Amazon plans to open a seventh California fulfillment center in San Bernardino, where the company launched its first Golden State fulfillment center in the state in 2012. The retailer currently employs more than 12,000 full-time hourly associates at its six existing California locations and says it will hire more than 1,000 full-time employees in the new San Bernardino facility.

Production and shipping delays related to its new collection of modern furniture, which it also has launched as a standalone business, are taking a toll on Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc. as the high-end retailer issued a weak outlook for the current quarter.

Restoration Hardware (RH) reported its fourth-quarter earnings slid to $33.3 million, or 79 cents a share, from $42.5 million, or $1.02 a share, a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 98 cents a share, which fell short of its own projection released in February.

As it moves to distance itself from the turbulence that marked its past two years, American Apparel Inc. has named three apparel industry executives to its revamped board of directors.

The retailer, which emerged from bankruptcy protection in February, appointed Paul R. Charron, former CEO of Liz Claiborne, as chairman, the Los Angeles Times reported.

When it comes to generating e-commerce revenue, retailers should focus heavily on customer retention.

According the fourth quarter 2015 E-commerce Quarterly report from online marketing technology provider Monetate, despite making up less than half of all e-commerce sessions (48%), returning visitors spent nearly $5.3 billion online. That figure is almost twice as much money as new visitors spent during the same timeframe ($2.7 billion).

eBay Inc. is attempting to streamline how it serves content to consumers.

eBay has found that online shoppers follow some common patterns in proceeding from wanting a particular item to purchasing it. These patterns are driving the retailer’s new product and search-related enhancements.

Petco has added two key leaders to its executive ranks and expanded the role of its supply chain chief.

The company announced that it has hired Jodi Watson as senior VP, Petco Direct, and Spencer Insolia as VP, Petco and president, Doctors Foster & Smith. The company has also named John Carcasi as senior VP, supply chain & merchandise planning, expanding his previous role to encompass all supply chain and inventory related activity across the company.

Ross Stores has ambitious store expansion plans for 2016—and sees plenty of potential beyond that.

The off-price retailer opened a total of 22 Ross Dress for Less and six dd’s Discounts stores across 15 different states in February and March.

The new locations are part of the company’s 2016 expansion plans to add approximately 70 Ross and 20 dd’s Discounts locations throughout the year.

Destination Maternity says its turnaround efforts are working to drive long-term growth despite a decrease in same-store sales during the fourth quarter.

The company said that for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 30, same-store sales decreased 3.5%. The retailer's net loss improved to $3.1 million compared to a net loss of $17 million in the prior year quarter. Net sales were $118.3 million, compared with $121.2 million for the comparable three month in 2015.