eCommerce

Phoenix -- Leslie's Poolmart announced it has acquired the assets of Pool Supply World, one of the nation's premier Internet retailers of swimming pool supplies.

As a separate division of Leslie's Pool Supplies, the acquired business will continue to operate as Pool Supply World with its distinct brand and website. Mark Krueger, CEO of Pool Supply World, will continue to lead the business.

Dick’s Sporting Goods and ESPN have entered into a multi-year agreement which will allow Dick’s to be the exclusive e-commerce provider of licensed merchandise and sporting goods on ESPN.com and related digital properties.  

Dick’s and ESPN are no strangers. The sporting goods retailer sponsors ESPN's Champ Week coverage for college basketball, and collaborates on content such as Hell Week — an original documentary produced by Dick’s Sporting Goods Films in association with ESPN, which aired on ESPN2 and ESPNU earlier this year.

New York -- Starting in November, J. Crew consumers can take advantage of MasterPass at checkout, a digital wallet service enables shoppers to use any payment card or enabled device to unlock a simplified and speedier checkout experience whether they’re at home, in a store or on the go.

New York -- American Realty Capital Properties has acquired Cole Real Estate Investments for $11.2 billion, creating the world’s largest net lease real estate investment trust, with an enterprise value of $21.5 billion.

ARCP has secured $2.75 billion in fully committed financing from Barclays. The loan is expected to close in the first half of next year.

Updated ARCP pro forma 2014 guidance indicates that adjusted funds from operations will move from $1.13 to $1.19 per share, compared with 2013 guidance of $0.91 to $0.95 per share.

Shoppers continue to integrate digital devices into their lives and crave an equally integrated experience from retailers, but satisfying this heightened set of ominchannel expectation remains a work in progress for most retailers.

Few retailers have a well-defined omnichannel strategy with most professing to be in the development phase, according to a global consulting firm Hay Group. This rather worrisome insight was among the key findings in global consuling firm Hay Group’s 7th annual holiday hiring survey.

As both founder of legendary 1960s rock group The Velvet Underground and as a solo artist, recently departed singer/songwriter Lou Reed was noted as a visionary and a curmudgeon. While his gruff approach to critics and fans may not be the best customer engagement template, Reed’s innovations as a musical artist offer lessons for retailers seeking success in the digital arena.

Avoiding all That Jazz

Toronto -- Canada’s Hudson's Bay Co. said Monday that it has completed its $2.4 billion acquisition of Saks Inc. Saks shareholders overwhelmingly approved the sale of the New York company during a special meeting on Wednesday. The combined company will operate a total of 320 stores, including 179 full-line specialty department stores, 72 outlet stores and 69 home stores in prime locations throughout the U.S., and Canada, along with three e-commerce sites.

New York -- Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th plans to open a new store in Pearl, Miss., (metropolitan Jackson) on Nov. 14.

The 17,000-sq.-ft. store will be located in the Outlets of Mississippi in Rankin County, one of the fastest growing areas in the state. The outlet is developed by Spectrum Capital, an affiliate of the Yates Companies.