eCommerce

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that Walmart has expanded and already sizable footprint in the San Francisco bay area.
Walmart opened a new office in Sunnyvale, about 30 miles south of its Global eCommerce and @Walmart Labs headquarter in San Bruno, that employs 500 people, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Details are still a bit sketchy, but click here for more from Walmart.com’s hometown newspaper visit.
 

Retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) will increase 4.1% in 2014, up from the preliminary 3.7% growth seen in 2013, according to the National Retail Federation. The association’s 2014 economic forecast calls for online sales to grow between 9% and 12%.

A number of factors contributed to NRF’s 2014 economic forecast, including:

Seattle — Nordstrom has announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at Mercer Mall near Princeton, N.J. Plans call for the approximately 35,000-sq.-ft. store to open in the spring of 2015.

Mercer Mall is owned and managed by Federal Realty Investment Trust www.federalrealty.com. The new store will add to the current tenant line up, which includes T.J.Maxx, Bed Bath & Beyond, DSW and Shop Rite.

New York -- International sales from U.S. online retailers will jump from $11 billion in 2014 to almost $50 billion by 2020, which would make up 16% of the overall U.S. online retail market, according to a new report by OC&C Strategy Consultants.

New York – Ann Inc., parent company of Ann Taylor and The Loft, expects net sales and same-store sales to increase for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2013, on a year-over-year basis. For the full year, Ann Inc. issued guidance for total net sales of $2.49 billion, reflecting a total net sales increase of 5% and a same-store sales increase of 2%.

Fairway Group Holdings' Herbert Ruetsch plans to retire after 15 years with the company, including the last two years as its CEO. Ruetsch will remain a special adviser to the company and continue to provide input into certain merchandising and product initiatives.

New York — Juice press has announced plans to open five new locations in New York City in the spring and summer of this year. The locations include Chinatown, Tribeca, Midtown, Bridgehampton and the World Financial Center.

The new locations will bring the juice press total to 19.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – The Wet Seal Inc. reported declines in net and same-store sales for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2013, compared to the same periods in the prior year. During the fourth quarter, Wet Seal reported net sales of $122.8 million, down 22.8%, and a 16.5% drop in same-store sales.