eCommerce

FAIRFIELD, N.J. — Consumers trust retailers will provide them with safe, effective products — no easy task when one considers the numerous items any given company can sell. This is especially true for such retailers as Wal-Mart Stores, which has approved a partnership with SGS for safety and compliance testing for all wireless and automotive products sold through Walmart and Sam's Club, both in store and online, for the U.S. market.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot swung to profitability during the fourth quarter, despite a 5% comp sales decline at North American retail stores where the retailer shunned promotional activity during the holidays.

NEW YORK — Former Walmart.com CEO, Raul Vazquez has joined the advisory board of OrderGroove, a subscription commerce program that helps brands identify and interact with their most valuable customers.

NEW YORK — Former Walmart.com CEO, Raul Vazquez has joined the advisory board of OrderGroove, a subscription commerce program that helps brands identify and interact with their most valuable customers. 

Fourth-quarter same-store sales at JCPenney declined 1.8%, and the company lost $87 million, but those details are being overlooked for the time being as execution of the transformation strategy envisioned by CEO Ron Johnson began less than a month ago.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gap Inc.'s fourth-quarter net income plummeted 40% on higher costs and aggressive discounting during the holiday selling season.

The company reported that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 28 was $218 million, compared with $365 million a year earlier. Sales dipped to $4.28 billion in the quarter, from $4.36 billion, matching Wall Street estimates.

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Dillard's ended its fiscal year with higher income and increased sales, and heads into 2012 on the heels of a record-setting performance.

The company reported income for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 28 of $141.5 million, or $2.77 per share. For the prior year fourth quarter, Dillard's reported net income of $109.6 million, or $1.75 per share.

Profits grew faster than sales at Walmart’s international division last year, despite investments to drive record expansion and inventory growth, as EDLP took hold in more markets.