eCommerce

When it comes to e-commerce, the top driver is actually something the experience doesn’t offer.

According to two surveys of online shoppers in the U.S. and Canada conducted by Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity, in December 2015 and January 2016, a leading 55% of respondents cited the lack of crowds, traffic and hunting for parking as a top reason to buy online. Another 46% said shopping online takes less time than shopping in stores, while 46% also mentioned free shipping.

While Kroger has been offering a click and collect service at certain stores for about two years, outside of the Denver market home delivery has not been available. A new service aims to change that for some Kroger shoppers in its hometown of Cincinnati. [Cincinnati Business Courier]

Action sports retailer Quiksilver and its nearly 1,000 stores are set to emerge from bankruptcy on Feb. 8, under the majority ownership of Oaktree Capital Management.

Quiksilver filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sept. 9, 2015 and on Jan. 28, the company and Oaktree Capital Management issued a statement indicating that funds managed by Oaktree will convert substantial existing United States debt holdings into a majority of the stock in the reorganized company on exit.

Lands’ End is making some significant executive moves in the wake of reporting a preliminary same-store sales decline of 8% to 10% for the fourth quarter.

Lands' End announced that it has named James (Jim) Gooch as its new executive VP, COO and CFO. Gooch will report directly to Marchionni, and will be responsible for overseeing operational and financial functions for the company. He will succeed Michael Rosera, who will be leaving the company.

Ride-sharing service Uber is getting more aggressive in its jockeying for position in the online delivery marketplace.

In October 2015, Uber expanded its UberRush same-day delivery service from New York, where it had been operating for about two years, to San Francisco and Chicago. UberRush uses Uber drivers to deliver merchandise from retailers to customers for a $5-$7 fee, often in minutes.

It was a happy holiday season at Amazon.com where fourth quarter profits more than doubled, sales increased 22% and the company handily surpassed annual sales of $100 billion for the first time.

Amazon.com said its net sales increased 22% to $35.7 billion in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2015, compared with $29.3 billion in fourth quarter 2014. With a $1.2 billion unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates, fourth quarter sales would have increased 26%.

Lane Bryant is all about changing the conversation regarding plus-size fashion and thanks to the efforts of a dozen design students the retailer is interpreting what that means for shoppers.

Hhgregg's holiday disaster was confirmed Thursday when the struggling retailer officially posted a loss of $26.9 million in its fiscal third quarter.

The company said that for the third quarter ended Dec. 31, net sales decreased 10.9% to $593 million, compared to the prior year third quarter.