eCommerce

Seattle – Amazon.com is reportedly piloting an in-house delivery service that would use trucks driven by Amazon-hired contractors to deliver packages from area distribution centers to customer homes. According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com is testing the service in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

The service could potentially reduce shipping times and costs and also enable same-day shipping. It is also seen as a direct competitive move against UPS, as well as Wal-Mart, EBay and Google.

New York – Aeropostale has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against rival specialty apparel retailer H&M. The suit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, alleges that H&M used the phrase “Live Love Dream,” trademarked by Aeropostale, on apparel and accessory items.

Aeropostale says it notified H&M of the infringement, but H&M did not cease using the trademarked phrase. H&M has not publicly responded to the suit yet.

Miami Gardens, Fla. — Demolition has begun at Palmetto Gardens Plaza, a 7.1-acre shopping center site in Miami Gardens, Fla. The site is being prepared for the development of a 63,000-sq.-ft. shopping center that will include a 41,000-sq.-ft. Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market and an additional inline and outparcel space of 20,000 sq. ft. — now available for lease.

Seattle – Amazon.com’s net income soared 32% during the first quarter of fiscal 2014, climbing to $108 million from $82 million the same quarter a year earlier. Net sales increased 23% to $19.74 billion in the first quarter, compared with $16.07 billion in first quarter 2013.

Top executives within Walmart’s international division have been assigned new responsibilities including a new role for the former head of Asian operations overseeing mergers and acquisitions.

Hong Kong -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is changing the management structure of its Asia operation with a series of promotions. Scott Price, currently president and CEO of Walmart Asia, will move to a senior management role as executive VP, international strategy and development, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, integration and purchase leverage, based at Wal-Mart's world headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity Corp. reported that net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 dipped to $3.2 million, compared to $5.9 million in the same period last year.

Revenue fell 6.5% to $126.1 million from $134.9 million, and same-store sales decreased 5.1%. CEO Ed Krell blamed the disappointing results on inclement weather.

With net revenues soaring 36% in the first quarter to $642 million from $472 million in the prior year's period, Under Armour is off to a strong start in 2014. In conjunction with its financial results, the company also opened its newest specialty retail location in SoHo, in New York.