eCommerce

By Bill Davis, Director, MB&G Consulting

Chengdu, China – Online apparel wholesaler Milanoo has launched a new version of its shopping app for both iPhone and Android. Based in Hong Kong, the company offers clothing and apparel to more than 180 countries worldwide, and serves customers in eight languages.

The new Milanoo app 2.0 includes push notifications of new arrivals and flash sales, order tracking, Facebook sign-in, and secure payment options including PayPal, credit card and Western Union money transfer.  

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Southern California, on Oct. 11. The store is located in the La Mesa Center in the city of La Mesa, a suburb of San Diego.  

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

Broadening responsibilities at a business brings with it an exponential increase in worries. And retail is no exception.

Despite posting increases in consolidated net and comparable store sales, the Finish Line’s second-quarter results fell short of its expectations, thanks to softness in the specialty retailer’s basketball offering.

Despite the slowdown in basketball-related sales, the running-related sales increased in the mid-single digits, driven by casual and performance styles. Consolidated net sales were $466.9 million, an increase of 7.1% over the prior year period. Comparable store sales increased 1.5%.

Imagine it’s a breezy Friday morning and tonight is your nephew’s birthday party. It’s completely slipped your mind, and there just isn’t time in your day to go shopping. But you don’t panic because this solution is routine. You go online, find the hottest toy, and hit Amazon Prime Air. Not too long after, a small “Octocopter” touches down on your doorstep to save your day.

A captivating scene. But when you scrutinize the feasibility of this concept, there are many challenges that may push small package drone models into the realm of wishful thinking.

Mixed-use projects have become a consumer home base

The concept of a shopping center as a place where people simply show up to make a few purchases and leave is becoming passé. Increasingly, developers are building mixed-use centers that include residential, office and entertainment components, which turn them more into a consumer home base and less of a functional destination.

Seattle -- Social shopping, e-commerce videos, free shipping and in-store pickup rank among the top trends expected to drive holiday sales for online retailers, according to Blueocean Market Intelligence, a global analytics and insights provider.