eCommerce

Springfield, Mo. – Los Angeles-based private equity group Leonard Green & Partners is reportedly in talks to acquire a stake in specialty outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops. According to the Wall Street Journal, Leonard Green may make an offer that would value the privately-held Bass Pro at between $4 billion and $5 billion, including debt.

New York -- Investment firm TowerBrook Capital Partners is acquiring women’s apparel retailer J. Jill, which operates some 250 stores nationwide. TowerBrook is buying the company from Investment firm Arcapita and private equity firm Golden Gate Capital.  

In a statement, J. Jill CEO Paula Bennett noted that the retailer has just completed its best sales year in history and 12 quarters of consecutive growth.

A top digital marketing executive heaped praise on Walmart’s digital efforts at an industry event attended by executives from Amazon, eBay, Alibaba and Google who are more accustomed to such praise.

Walmart is one of my e-commerce heroes,” said Jason Goldberg, group vice president of commerce strategy with Razorfish. That’s high praise from a key executive with one of the world’s top digital marketing agencies.

Fort Worth, Texas - General Wireless Inc., an affiliate of Standard General LP, has officially received U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval to acquire the inventory and assume leases of 1,743 RadioShack stores following a bankruptcy auction. The company operates a long-term partnership with Sprint, and Sprint will provide services, products and accessories at some stores.

The stores will feature emerging technologies, as well as the traditional accessories and DIY for which RadioShack is known. Approximately 1,440 stores will be co-branded with Sprint.

Fast casual chain Forever 21 has added men’s, girls and plus collections to 50 more stores as part of its global expansion plan.

Forever 21+, Forever 21 Men and Forever 21 Girls will now be added to 50 existing U.S. stores in markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Stamford, Conn., and more.

New York -- There’s been a change at the top at Saks Fifth Avenue. On Thursday, Saks parent company Hudson’s Bay Company announced that company veteran Marc Metrick, 41, is replacing Marigay McKee as president of Saks Fifth Avenue, effective April 2, 2015. It’s a return of sorts for Metrick, who is HBC’s executive VP and chief administrative officer. He spent the first 15 years of his career at Saks Fifth Avenue, ultimately becoming its chief strategy officer, before joining the leadership team of HBC in 2012 as chief marketing officer.

Target will complete its inventory liquidation efforts and close the last of its 133 Canadian retail stores by April 12.

The retailer has already shut down 46 stores across Canada and will close another 32 on April 2; 18 on April 4; and 24 on April 8. The final 13 stores will close just days after that.

What if consumers could just press a button when they run out of Tide detergent or Olay moisturizer? Amazon is seeking to redefine omnichannel retailing by creating commerce channels out of everyday objects. 

The e-commerce giant's latest retail gizmo could forever change how consumers replenish supplies: a branded button called the "Dash Button" that's affixed to an appliance — a coffee maker for coffee, for example, or a washer machine for detergent — and automatically replenishes supplies through Amazon when pressed.