eCommerce

Carbondale, Colo. -- Casey Sheahan, former CEO of Patagonia, has joined FastG8, a digital media company focused on driving e-commerce for brands in the outdoor and active lifestyle marketplaces.

Also joining the form is Zohar Ziv, who retired from Deckers Outdoor Corporation in January, where he most recently held the title of COO. He has also served as CFO for Deckers.

Those who failed to grasp the significance of the iPhone when it launched in 2007 are not going to make the same mistake twice with the introduction of the Apple Watch –- a wearable technology device that hit the market April 24 with some well-deserved hype and considerable transformative potential.

In an article that appeared in National Real Estate Investor (NREI) Online on April 10, author Elaine Misonzhnik describes the recent store closure announcements from Walgreens and Pier 1 as part of a larger pattern of retailers “pursuing portfolio optimization and an omnichannel approach.” While I generally agree with that statement — and with the notion that increasing pressure from online sales growth is contributing to a more competitive brick-and-mortar environment — I was reminded once again of just how different the dynamics behind store closings can be.

Hard to believe, eBay has now been in existence as an e-commerce platform for 20 years. Since its launch in September 1995, countless individuals and companies have sold and purchased goods via eBay. In addition, many full-fledged omnichannel retailers have evolved from small-scale efforts to sell merchandise on eBay.

Baltimore -- Pandora Jewelry, in collaboration with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, has opened dedicated shops within two Disney merchandise locations: Uptown Jewelers in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and La Mascarade d'Orleans in Disneyland park in California.

Both locations carry Pandora’s newly released spring 2015 Disney jewelry collection and the Disney Parks collection, as well as the brand’s full assortment of jewelry.

When consumers think of Uggs, they may not imagine Hawaiian floral patterns. But now the retailer is trying to take advantage of the hot fashion trend of prints and patterns with a new line of Polynesian-inspired footwear and accessories.

TargetExpress, the retailer’s newest and smallest format store yet, is now open in San Francisco and Berkeley and designed with local city dwellers in mind.

The 12,000-square-foot Berkeley store, a former Walgreens, and the San Francisco location, 18,000 square feet and housed on Bush Street in the financial district, feature a refined and modern concept. With an edgy design, high ceilings and commissioned artwork and custom graphics, MBH architects created a shopping environment that will attract loyal Target customers and on-the-go millennials.

By Mark Kirstein, Zebra Technologies