eCommerce

BOSTON — Shoebuy.com, a leading global online retailer of shoes and clothing, has expanded its marketing leadership team with the appointments of Heather Adams as SVP of marketing and Kavita Baball as SVP of customer experience and retention. 

The opening of 79 new stores drove overall second quarter sales growth at Francesca’s Holdings, but same store sales declined, profits were less than forecast and the company lowered its expectations for the full year.

Despite the slight decrease in same-store sales, the company grew its net income 15% to $14.6 million, from $12.7 million, while net sales rose 17% to $89.6 million.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings is launching a menswear collection by Grammy Award-winning recording artist Adam Levine, exclusively at Kmart and ShopYourWay.com beginning Oct. 1.  

Levine's collection includes premium denim washes, outerwear, wovens, knits and accessories. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Mavatar Technologies has appointed Phil Schlein, former president and CEO of Macy's California and partner at U.S. Venture Partners, as chairman of its board of directors. 

Brooks Brothers has opened a flagship store location in San Francisco. At 26,000 sq. ft., Brooks Brothers at Union Square is the second largest retail location in North America.

HAMPSTEAD, Md. — JoS. A. Bank has appointed Byron "Bud" Bergren to the company’s board of directors. Bergren will also serve on the audit committee.

Bergren was formerly chairman of the board at Bon-Ton Stores from February 2012 to June 2013. From 2002 to 2011, he served as president and CEO of Bon-Ton, where he led the company's acquisition of Saks Northern Department Store Group. Bergren received a B.S. degree from St. Cloud State University. He served on the board of directors of the National Retail Federation from 2008 to 2012.

New York -- Uniqlo will open 10 U.S. mall stores in October and November, giving it a total of 17 U.S. locations. The new stores are strategically placed surrounding the brand’s current flagship stores on the East and West Coasts (see below for schedule).

To support its retail expansion, Uniqlo will debut a new, more interactive website this fall.  

Uniqlo will open four stores in California, three in New York, two in New Jersey and one in Connecticut. Here is the schedule:  

New Jersey

Pittsburgh -- Dick's Sporting Goods will celebrate the opening of its new store in Duluth, Minn., beginning on Sept. 6.

The Duluth location will be the retailer's ninth store in the state of Minnesota and its 529th nationwide.

By Scott Welty, [email protected]

The retail industry is in the midst of a massive transformation driven by consumers’ adoption of digital technologies. By 2020, the retail landscape will have fundamentally changed how every retailer will go to market. No segment of retail will be more impacted than the brick-and-mortar store.

Here are seven trends that brick-and-mortar retailers should consider to build a winning strategy:

New York -- A controversial bill requiring Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other large retailers to pay their employees a "living wage" of at least $12.50 an hour has been sent to District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray.   
    
The mayor has 10 business days, starting Tuesday, to either sign or veto the bill, which was passed by the D.C. Council at the beginning of July.