eCommerce

New York -- Following an e-commerce upgrade, women’s shoe retailer Chinese Laundry is now going to change its e-commerce site to responsive design in the coming months an effort to increase its mobile conversion rate, Scott Cohn, VP president of e-commerce, said during a session at the annual Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition in Chicago.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Speaking at Wal-Mart Stores’ annual shareholders meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas, president and CEO Doug McMillon told the more than 14,000 assembled associates and shareholders that he is more worried about the enemy within the company than competitors.

“The truth is the real villains are lurking within the company,” said McMillon. “Our real villains are things like bureaucracy, complacency, a lack of speed, or a lack of passion.”

Williams-Sonoma is rolling out a fast, easy and secure way to pay online that brings a whole new meaning to instant gratification.

The retailer is teaming up with Visa to launch a marketing campaign and four-part video series called “Time to Savor Summer.”  The video series, launched in support of the availability of Visa Checkout on the Williams-Sonoma e-commerce site, will be “shoppable” due to YouTube’s new shoppable video technology.

San Francisco – Summertime, and the living (and shopping) is easy. Williams-Sonoma Inc. is adhering to this summer ethic by partnering with Visa to launch a co-marketing campaign and four-part video series called “Time to Savor Summer.”  The video series, launched in support of the availability of the Visa Checkout online checkout service on the Williams-Sonoma e-commerce site, will be “shoppable” due to YouTube’s new shoppable video technology.

London - Since launching its new website in 2014, Marks & Spencer is giving its customers a more visual, interactive way to shop online. AT&T is providing hosting and application management services to the U.K.-based global department store retailer.  

Minneapolis – The corporate restructuring that has led Target Corp. to lay off 17.600 Canadian workers and 2,200 U.S. workers has reportedly hit the retailer’s Indian operation. According to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Target has laid off 180 Indian employees and closed 125 open positons in India this week.

Target has pledged to eliminate several thousand positions, many from its corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, as part of a $2 billion restructuring plan instituted by CEO Brian Cornell.

 

Gap Inc. is eyeing the 110,000-sq.-ft.

Bentonville, Ark. - Sam’s Club is partnering with SmartBiz as the exclusive platform for SBA-guaranteed loans for Sam's Club Business Lending Center, a digital platform for small businesses. As a Business Lending Center participant, SmartBiz will provide qualifying Sam's Club business members with SBA loans.