eCommerce

The art of sewing comes alive at The Hab, a one-stop shopping destination in Mumbai, India, for all things sewing. The colorful store offers a fresh and youthful take on one of retailing’s more staid, and slightly old-fashioned, categories, and more than lives up to its motto: “A hipper side of sewing.”

HAMPSHIRE, U.K. — Mobile couponing is expected to greatly increase in popularity this year. According to a new report from Juniper Research, the number of discount coupons redeemed through mobile and tablet devices is expected to reach 10 billion this year, up by more than 50% on last year.

SEATTLE — Amazon.com reported that net sales increased 22% to $21.27 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with $17.43 billion in fourth quarter 2011. 

Net income decreased 45% to $97 million in the fourth quarter, or 21 cents per diluted share, compared with $177 million, or 38 cents per diluted share, in fourth quarter 2011.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Revel Touch, a technology provider in the mobile commerce space, has named Joe Davis as CEO. 

Davis previously served as president and CEO of Coremetrics (acquired by IBM) and held executive roles at Nortel, PeopleSoft and IBM. As CEO of Revel Touch, he will be responsible for driving the company’s accelerating growth.

Washington -- Despite some groups’ claims, the National Retail Federation said that few, if any, merchants are expected to surcharge customers for using a credit card as theoretically allowed under a controversial proposed lawsuit settlement with Visa and MasterCard being debated in the courts.

 

Miami -- Swire Properties and Bal Harbour Shops announced Wednesday they have agreed to an equity partnership to jointly develop the retail component of Brickell City Centre, currently under construction in the Brickell financial district of downtown Miami.

The 2.9 million-sq.-ft. Brickell City Centre will include 500,000 sq. ft. of high-end retail along with condominiums and hotel slated for completion in latter 2015.
 

New York -- RKF said WeNew York -- RKF said Wednesday it has arranged a 1,200-sq.-ft. lease with shoe retailer CHUCKiES at 1052 Lexington Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

This will become CHUCKiES’ third location in Manhattan, all on the Upper East Side. The new store will sit between 74th and 75th Streets along the western side of Lexington Avenue.
 
The new CHUCKiES will occupy 800 sq. ft. on ground floor of the building, as well as 400 sq. ft. of space in the basement.

New York -- RKF said Tuesday it has completed the leasing assignment at the base of The Mark Hotel at 992-998 Madison Avenue on behalf of ownership Alexico Group.

All of the hotel’s ground-floor retail space, which is located on Madison Avenue and 77th Street, is now leased.

RKF was responsible for leases with Zadig et Voltaire, Jack Vartanian, Punto Ottico, Phoenix Roze and, more recently, 25 Park. These tenants joined Frederic Fekkai Salon, The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges, John Lobb and Sant Ambroeus at the property.

San Antonio, Texas -- Dallas-based Venture Commercial said Tuesday it has completed seven leases in the San Antonio market for Best Buy Mobile stores. Six of the stores, ranging in size from 1,500 sq. ft. to 4,500 sq. ft., opened in 2012 and the seventh is expected to open in 2013.

Phoenix -- Cole Real Estate Investments announced it executed leases totaling 1,658,000 sq. ft. at Cole-related properties throughout 2012.  

The transactions included 390,000 sq. ft. of new leases and 1,268,000 sq. ft. of lease renewals, bringing Cole’s multi-tenant retail property occupancy rate to 97.7%.