eCommerce

Chicago – Wintry weather across the Midwest and Northeast took its toll on store traffic, as a report by ShopperTrak showed that in-store sales for the week of Dec. 9 to Dec. 15 were down 0.8% from the same week last year. New data from ShopperTrak also shows that in-store shopper traffic also fell last week by 19.9% compared to the same time period in 2012.

Toys “R” Us is resorting a familiar tactic and keeping its doors open from 6 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 through 9 p.m. Christmas Eve to drive last-minute holiday shoppers into its stores.

All Toys “R” Us stores nationwide are advertising around-the-clock savings and deals during the final 87 hours of Christmas shopping, along with daily deliveries through Christmas Eve. Only full-service stores in Paramus, N.J., and Puerto Rico, will not be open 24 hours a day.

Hudson’s Bay Company has named Donald Watros, currently the company’s COO, as president of HBC, a newly expanded role. The appointment is effective Feb. 1, 2014.

The move comes as the company restructures its leadership so it can focus on managing and growing HBC’s presence in North America, as well as its expanding portfolio of brands.

Sam's Club is offering some extra holiday cheer for shoppers who are looking to buy last-minute gifts and save some money in the process. The company is inviting the public to a three-day Holiday Open House from Friday, Dec. 20 to Sunday, Dec. 22.

The event allows shoppers to take advantage of lowered prices on the season's hot items, like smartphones and notebooks, without paying non-member upcharges.

UPS expects to accommodate more than 78 million online tracking requests on Tuesday, December 17 thanks in part to new mobile capabilities that offer shoppers unprecedented supply chain visibility.

Amazon is touting its Prime program again this holiday season, reminding members that they can order gifts as late as midnight EST Sunday, Dec. 22, and still get free delivery before Christmas.

The online retailer is leveraging the shorter shopping period this year, which is one week shorter than last year’s, to drive sales by emphasizing the convenience that online shopping can afford — a surefire way to draw shoppers who want to avoid the imminent crowds this weekend.

Macy’s plans to build a major direct-to-consumer fulfillment center near Owasso in Tulsa County, Okla., to support continued sales growth driven by Macy’s omnichannel strategy.

The site is strategically located near the intersection of 76th St. North and Lakewood Ave., about 12 miles north of Tulsa. The company is expected to invest more than $170 million in the facility.
 

Paris -- French retailing giant Carrefour has joined an investment group aiming to acquire more than a 100 shopping malls in France, Spain, and Italy.

According to a New York Times report, the $2.7 billion deal will add 127 malls to Carrefour’s current 45-mall portfolio. The plan is to create a new, separate property company in which Carrefour would hold a 42% stake. Institutional investors would hold the rest.

New York -- Analysis has uncovered a 46% increase in social networking referrals to top 500 retail websites during the most critical week of the year, just one of four key trends identified in a report by Experian Marketing Services.

The 2013 holiday marketing analysis from the holiday shopping season's peak week, the period beginning Thanksgiving and ending on Cyber Monday, cited the following four trends:

Vancouver, BC -- Online eGift card services provider Buyatab Online said it has been contracted by Canadian lifestyle brand Roots to implement a customer eGift Card infrastructure and marketing program to accompany its traditional gift card program.