eCommerce

Seattle -- Online jewelry retailer Blue Nile said Thursday it has launched two new websites that cater to French- and Spanish-speaking shoppers. The sites also take purchases in the preferred currencies.

“Constantly improving our service and shopping experience for our international customers is one of our primary goals, and I am thrilled with the launch of our French and Spanish language websites,” said Vijay Talwar, Blue Nile president and general manager of International.

Stockholm, Sweden -- Swedish fast-fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Aug. 31 edged up less than 1% to $550 million, missing analysts’ expectations of $618 million in profit. Sales rose 10% in local currency, but gross margins shrank and the retailer said it would delay the start of online operations in the U.S. until next summer to allow it more time to adapt to the market.

The nation’s leading sporting goods retailer has introduced a ranking system that shows football fans how sales of their favorite player’s jersey stacks up against the competition.

It is a clever strategy and feeds into NFL fans fantasy league obsession for statistics and provides Dick’s a lever to heighten shopper engagement and drive sales of big ticket, high margin apparel items that typically retail for upwards of $100.

Deloitte is forecasting holiday sales will increase between 3.5% and 4% as the economy's health and the presidential election take center stage among consumers this fall.

Despite some distractions this year, retailers should expect a modest increase in 2012 holiday sales, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday forecast release Tuesday morning.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal said that two independent proxy advisors, Institutional Shareholder Services and Egan-Jones Proxy Services, recommended that the chain’s shareholders reject efforts by Clinton Group to replace six members of the company’s board of directors.  

By Sean Jackson, [email protected]

In recent weeks, there have been some well-publicised examples of retail giants whose financial performance has been severely impacted by breakdowns in the supply chain. As salt in the wound to these behemoths of retail, there are just as many examples of organizations that have exceeded market expectations due to an ability to behave nimbly and respond quickly to changes in consumer demand.

New York -- A U.S. judge in San Francisco has certified a class-action lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Corp. that involved allegations of gender discrimination in the store's promotion practices.

“Costco offers numerous competing explanations for the observed gender disparity in promotions,” U.S. District Judge Edward Chen said in the ruling, Bloomberg reported. “None of these explanations undermine the companywide nature of the challenged policies and their disparate effects.”

Each year, since the “big recession,” retailers have been putting out their holiday decorations and starting their promotional sales as early as mid-October. It used to be that Black Friday was the kick-off that got everyone out to the stores in search of that must-have discounted gift for their loved ones. This year, however, the calendar barely hit September and I saw Christmas trees on display at my local Costco and retailers announcing their layaway program incentives.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples plans to improve customer experience, accelerate growth and deliver value to shareholders through a new strategic plan. Under the plan, Staples will integrate its retail and online offering, increase investment in its online businesses, reorganize its operations, implement leadership changes, initiate a multi-year cost savings plan, and restructure its international operations.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- On the heels of activist investor The Clinton Group’s announced plans to replace some of Wet Seal’s board members, the retailer is advising its shareholders against supporting the move.