eCommerce

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. remains highly bullish on expansion. In remarks at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, the coffee giant revealed that over the next five years it plans to open 3,500 locations in its Americas region and 8,000 new stores in foreign markets. And just in case you were wondering … Starbucks noted that Shanghai has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world in which it operates.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us announced that it has named Reg McLay as senior VP, Babies “R” Us business, effective March 30.
     
McLay will lead the Babies “R” Us merchandising team in the U.S. in driving product innovation, as well as differentiation in services and offerings across its stores nationwide. He will report to Hank Mullany, president, Toys “R” Us, U.S.
 

Digital commerce continued its meteoric rise in the fourth quarter, according to the Shopping Index by Demandware.

The index, which measures digital commerce growth across two key attributes -- shopping attraction and shopper spend -- reveals that shopper attraction, which measures the number of shoppers, was up 25% in the fourth quarter 2014 over the fourth quarter last year and drove 81% of the digital commerce growth.

New York -- Toys "R" Us is not going to renew the lease of its Manhattan flagship, according to various reports. The lease for the massive 110,000-sq.-ft. retail space, at 1514 -1530 Broadway, between 44th and 45th Streets, is set to expire at the end of January 2016. The ground floor of the prime space, in the heart of busy Times Square and with access to Broadway, commands a whopping $2,500 per foot per year in rent, with the second and third floors costing considerably less, according to CNN Money.

Walmart vice president of U.S. manufacturing Cindi Marsiglio shared new details about a first-of-its-kind event planned for early July in Northwest Arkansas to advance the retailer’s $250 billion domestic sourcing agenda.

During a fast-paced presentation Thursday morning organized by a group called Doing Business in Bentonville, Marsiglio shared wide-ranging insights regarding the company’s 10 year, $250 billion domestic sourcing commitment unveiled in January 2013.

Seattle –  Amazon.com is upping the competition with brick-and-mortar stores by expanding its one-hour Prime Now delivery service to Baltimore and Miami. The service, which was previously available only in Manhattan, offers one-hour delivery on tens of thousands of items through a mobile app.

Time may be running out for Toys "R" Us shoppers to ride the Ferris wheel at the retailer's flagship store in Time Square.

Toys "R" Us will not be renewing the lease of its Manhattan flagship, according to various reports. The lease for the massive 110,000-sq.-ft. retail space, at 1514 -1530 Broadway, between 44th and 45th Streets, is set to expire at the end of January.

Value-oriented food retailer Smart & Final Stores Inc. plans to accelerate its expansion plans after posting double-digit sales growth in the fourth quarter.