eCommerce

Barnes & Noble’s founder, chairman and largest shareholder, Leonard Riggio, is calling off his offer to buy the company’s retail business, following a worse-than-expected net loss of $87 million for the first quarter, compared to a loss of $39.8 million in the year-ago period. 

Epicor Software Corporation, a business software developer, has entered into a partnership with CyberM Information Technology Limited to resell Epicor retail technology solutions and provide in-country implementation and support services within the Asia Pacific region. 

Under the terms of the agreement, CyberM will provide sales, services and support to assist local retailers and meet the globalization requirements of multinational retailers looking to expand into APAC.

NEW YORK — Canadian shoppers aren’t wowed by Target Corp., according to a customer-satisfaction rating survey by Forum Research. As reported in The Globe and Mail, the survey ranked Target at the bottom of a list of major retailers operating in Canada. (Satisfaction as measured by the survey relates to service, prices and/or merchandise offering.)

Over all, Target scored a mean 2.7 out of 4, compared with Costco’s 3.5, Wal-Mart’s 3.1 and a 3.2 average.

PHILADELPHIA — Urban Outfitters’ second-quarter net income jumped to $76 million for the three months ended July 31, 2013.

Total company net sales for the second quarter increased 12% to a record $759 million. Same—store sales, including the company’s direct-to-consumer channel, increased 9%.

Comparable retail segment net sales increased 38% at Free People, 9% at Anthropologie and 5% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales rose 17%.

ROCKFORD, Mich. — Wolverine Worldwide has appointed Jodi K. Watson as president of consumer direct, reporting to chairman, CEO and president Blake W. Krueger.  

In her new role, Watson will be responsible for direct-to-consumer operations for the company, including stores and e-commerce.

Watson was most recently the company’s VP of e-commerce, leading Wolverine's global digital strategy. She has served on its retail leadership team since joining the company in 2009.

Strengths in several merchandise categories, including women’s contemporary and advanced designer apparel; fragrances; children’s apparel; and men’s accessories, shoes and contemporary apparel contributed to a comparable store sales increase of 1.5% in the second quarter ended August 3 at Saks Incorporated.

CHICAGO — With an eye on new growth opportunities, Tommy Bahama has selected the Hybris commerce platform to improve its omnichannel commerce capabilities.

A leading retailer of island-inspired apparel and home furnishings, Tommy Bahama has seen growth in it online commerce throughout the past few years. Tommy Bahama also offers in-store kiosks, where shoppers can access a commerce channel that enables an "endless aisle" of available products —allowing shoppers to access out-of-stock or online-exclusive items directly in-store.

I recently had the chance to observe and talk with some tweens and teens about their smartphone use. You guessed it: it’s first and foremost about communicating with their friends and, yes, even with parents and other family members. Shopping runs a good second. Anyone targeting this particular age group must think of communication as a “use case” for smartphones. 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples is generating traffic to its brick-and-mortar stores with its ink and toner cartridge recycling program. Since 2005, it has recycled 350 million ink and toner cartridges, averaging more than 60 million cartridges per year for the past three years. 

The Valley Forge Shopping Center on West DeKalb Pike is adding Target to its tenant roster July 2014, making it the first Target store in the city of King of Prussia. 

The King of Prussia store will be approximately 165,000 sq. ft. and will include a selection of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, as well as a Starbucks, Target Optical and Target Pharmacy.