eCommerce

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys "R" U widened its loss in the second quarter on lower sales at its stores in the United States and Europe. The company reported a loss of $113 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $36 million.

Net sales for the quarter, ended August 3, dropped 6.9% to $2.38 billion. Same-store sales declined 3.5% in the U.S. and 3.8% abroad. The retailer attributed the decline primarily to decreases in the juvenile and entertainment (which includes electronics, video game hardware and software) categories.

Teaneck, N.J. – Physical stores remain critically important to omnichannel commerce. Results of the fourth annual Cognizant Customer Experience Study show that for consumable products, 75% of shoppers still prefer to make an in-store purchase.

New York -- Foot Locker, Inc. is introducing Six02.com, the e-retail extension of its Six:02 stores aimed at women. In addition to offering a full assortment of women’s athletic apparel and products, the site features the Get Fit Guide, a custom online tool to lead customers through the product offerings to find the perfect fit, style, and product based on preferred workout activity and body shape.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans for two new Nordstrom Rack stores, one in Nevada, and the other in Massachusetts.

The retailer said it will open a 36,000-sq.-ft. Nordstrom Rack in fall 2014 at The Shops at Summerlin, a 1.6 million-sq.-ft. mixed-use center in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin.

Chicago -- Retail sales are forecast to rise 2.4% during the holiday season of November and December while total retail traffic will decrease 1.4% as compared to the year-ago period, according to ShopperTrak, a leading provider of shopper analytics. The company also notes that retailers have less time to capture peak holiday spending: There are only 25 days lie between Black Friday (Nov. 29) and Christmas this year, compared to 31 days in 2012. And unlike last year, consumers have only four (not five) full weekends to shop.

Bolinbrook, Ill. – Ulta Beauty will open 12 new stores in DDR shopping centers by year-end 2013.

The stores will open in DDR shopping centers in the towns of Salisbury, Md., Charlotte, N.C., Richmond, Va., Cleveland/Akron, Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, Hartford, Conn., Salt Lake City, Denver, St. Louis, and Lansing, Mich. Year-to-date, Ulta and DDR have opened six new stores, and are scheduled to open an additional six stores prior to year-end, bringing Ulta's total store count to 43 locations across DDR's portfolio.

Detroit – Despite the widely reported financial troubles the Detroit area is facing, four current development projects demonstrate there is demand for new retail stores and restaurants in the city.

According to an article in Crain’s Detroit Business, all four projects are taking place near the Oakland Mall at the intersection of 14 Mile and John R. roads. Chicago-based Urban Retail Properties is reportedly developing Qdoba Mexican Grill and Starbucks locations off 14 Mile Road that will open later this fall.

Willow Grove, Pa. — Blo/Out Blow Dry Bar has opened its third area location at Willow Grove Park in Willow Grove, Pa., near Philadelphia. The no-appointment 1,300-sq.-ft. salon offers eight styling techniques plus Blo/Out Express, a 20-minute dry styling treatment.