eCommerce

New Delhi, India – The Indian government has eased its notoriously difficult restrictions on how foreign retailers must invest and source when doing business in the country. As reported by Reuters, foreign retailers will still have to source 30% of the products they sell locally, but now have five years to initially reach that goal and then have to meet it annually.

New York – The long-running legal dispute over whether J.C. Penney has the right to sell Martha Stewart Living products appears to be nearing a conclusion. The Wall Street Journal reports that lawyers for Macy’s, which is suing Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia alleging a breach of contract giving Macy’s exclusive rights to sell Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and Penney, which may face fines and/or a ban on selling Martha Stewart Living products, all gave closing arguments in New York State Supreme Court yesterday.

New York -- Households with school-age children (pre-kindergarten through 12th grade) plan a big cut-back in back-to-school spending. Results of the 2013 Brand Keys Back to School Report Card show that there will be a year-over-year decrease of 10% in back-to-school spending, or an average spend this year of just more than $600 per household.

However, not every retailer will experience a decline in back-to-school profits. This year, the eight retailers showing the greatest increase in consumer intent-to-shop were:

1. Amazon

Walmart pulled a dietary supplement from its Web site this week following a report by USA Today that called into question the product’s safety and the track record of the supplier.
 
The product in question was a pre-workout supplement called Craze from supplier Matt Cahill who USA Today said has a history of putting risky supplements on the market. Walmart spokeswoman Dianna Gee said the product was pulled to, “allow us time to look further into not only the safety of the product, but also the integrity of the supplier.”

NEW YORK — Macy’s continues to focus on its millennial strategy to attract a new generation of customers looking for trend, style and value. The retailer is getting ready to launch two exclusive new brands, Maison Jules and QMack, at 150 stores this month.

The brands' launch is part of an ongoing initiative originally announced in spring 2012 and which saw the retailer introducing or expanding 20 brands for spring 2013.

SALT LAKE CITY — Overstock.com is extending its limited-time book sale promotion, pricing books at least 10% below Amazon's prices. The online retailer will keep prices at that level one more week.

"This promotion is so successful we've chosen to extend it," said CEO Patrick M. Byrne. "We are already, on average, 9% cheaper than Amazon on other products we carry, so this just seems like the natural next step. It's a great time to be shopping for a book."

Reports from Canada have Best Buy dabbling in e-commerce sales of beauty products. Best Buy Canada is now offering a selection of personal care, baby and health and wellness products on its “Viva from Best Buy” website, accessible through BestBuy.ca’s homepage.

New York -- American Apparel has purchased the independent New York specialty retailer and wholesaler, Oak, according to Women’s Wear Daily.  

Oak has two stores (one in Brooklyn, and the other in Manhattan) an e-commerce site and a wholesale business. The brand has a cool, hip vibe, and features contemporary fashions at upmarket prices. It will operate as a separate division within American Apparel, and its founders will remain on board, the report said.

New York -- H&M has launched online shopping in the United States, effective Aug. 1. In addition to offering the same merchandise as in-store and some exclusive “online only” items, the site marks the debut of the H&M Home collection, available exclusively online.