eCommerce

San Jose, Calif. – Samsung has reportedly hired a high-level store designer from Apple. According to multiple media reports, the U.S., telecom unit of Samsung recently hired Tim Gudgel, a five-year veteran store designer at Apple, as VP and GM of retail sales operations.

New York – LLBean.com provided the highest-rated customer service of all major online retailers during the month of November 2013. According to the Stella Monthly Ranking from the StellaService customer service analysis firm, L.L. Bean was ranked number one for overall customer service and also in the email customer service area.

SierraTradingPost.com took top honors for phone customer service, Sears.com had the highest ranked shipping customer service and Bloomingdales.com has the best returns customer service.

New York -- TXT e-solutions, a leading provider of integrated and collaborative planning solutions, today announced that European footwear brand Camper, has successfully implemented TXT e-solutions’ integrated retail planning software to support its entire retail planning cycle as it continues to expand both online and internationally.

Sears Holdings has elected law firm executive Cesar Alvarez to its board of directors.

Alvarez is co-chairman of the international law firm Greenburg Traurig, which he joined in 1973. Before his appointment as chairman, he served as executive chairman for more than three years and as its CEO for 13 years, starting in 1997.

Cheshunt, England – British supermarket and general merchandise retailer Tesco plc has reportedly applied to the Indian government for permission to buy a 50% stake in the Indian hypermarket chain Trent Hypermarket Ltd. According to Reuters, Tesco wants to open stores in western India and would become the first foreign retailer to open a supermarket in India.

Hollywood, Calif. -- Frederick's of Hollywood Group Inc. has entered into a definitive merger agreement that provides for the acquisition of the company by a consortium consisting of HGI Funding LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harbinger Group Inc., and certain of the company's other common and preferred shareholders. The members of the consortium as a group beneficially own approximately 88.6% of the company's common stock.

Armonk, N.Y. -- In five years, buying local will beat online. That is one of five predictions that appear on IBM’s eight annual “IBM 5 in 5” forecast, which the company describes as a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and interact during the next five years.

Walmart China CEO Greg Foran reiterated the company’s goal of accelerating Sam’s Club growth in the coming years with several published reports indicating the pace of Sam’s Club openings may eventually reach 10 units annually.