eCommerce

Minneapolis -- The distribution of digital coupons on retailers’ websites exploded in 2013, increasing 39.5% over the previous year, according to data released by Marx, a Kantar Media company. The growth of digital coupons was followed by a 25.6% increase in retailer participation in freestanding insert (FSI) coupon promotion pages, and a 12.6% increase in total retailer feature ad pages distributed.

Attica, Ohio -- Affiliate marketer WP Marketing LLC, has opened a new online shopping mall at myextremedeals.com/pine8734. As an affiliate marketing company, WP Marketing does not warehouse or sell products, but instead researches them on the online shoppers' behalf.  

Fort Worth, Texas — RadioShack has opened the company’s second California concept store in Sun Valley. RadioShack has been part of the Sun Valley community since opening in 1982. The new concept store has moved to a new location in Canyon Plaza.

The Hilco Global Retail Group is rebranding its recently acquired Steele's retail stores as Steele's & Deals. The company also appointed several key executive leaders who will take over new management roles at the retail chain.

The company feels that the Steele's & Deals name more accurately communicates value to customers.

Actress Sofia Vergara is launching her first scent, called Sofia by Sofia Vergara. The fragrance makes its debut exclusively with Home Shopping Network (HSN) at 12:01 a.m. April 24 and in key markets internationally, and rolls out to retailers nationwide in September.  

"Sofia by Sofia Vergara is designed for the woman who wants to feel irresistible and truly enjoys being a woman," said Vergara. "I wanted to bring a little bit of who I am, my ethnicity and create a fragrance that is a true reflection of me."
 

New York — Specialty apparel retailer Express has opened a three-level 28,000-sq.-ft. store in the I. Miller building New York City’s Times Square.

“It’s Express on steroids,” said Michael Weiss, the chairman and chief executive officer of Express. “This is an elevated presentation where the homes for each category are much more defined.”

New York -- J. Crew Group Inc. reported a 42% decrease in its fiscal fourth-quarter profit amid higher costs. Net income fell to $5.92 million in the quarter, which ended Feb. 1., down from $10.2 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue increased 6.7% to $686.2 million. Retail store sales rose 5% to $438.6 million and direct sales jumped 10% to $238.1 million

Same-store sales, which includes direct sales, rose 3%. Excluding a calendar shift, comparable-store sales increased 4%.

As the retail industry begins to offer shoppers the omnichannel experience they demand, brick-and-mortar stores have never been more important.

This is especially true as it relates to power centers, broadly defined as open-air shopping centers that feature multiple national anchors such as discount department stores, off-price stores, warehouse clubs and other retailers that tend to offer a wide selection in a particular merchandise category at value prices.