eCommerce

Warrendale, Pa. -- Teen clothing retailer rue21 posted net income of $9.6 million for the first quarter, compared with $5.8 million. The company boosted its full-year guidance based on its better-than-expected results.

Net sales increased 25.5% to $172.9 million. Same-store sales rose 5.2%.

During the quarter ended April 30, the company opened 39 new stores expanding its total to 677.
 

San Francisco -- Gap will enter the Italian outlet center market, opening a namesale store at the Vicolungo Outlet Center near Milan, on June 2.

New York City -- Foot Locker announced a series of organizational changes designed to enhance its focus on its two key business units -- retail stores and direct-to-customer, and to strengthen the operations supporting each unit. The changes will take effect as of July 1.

The company will consolidate the reporting of all its retail store businesses under Richard A. Johnson, who will be promoted to executive VP and group president – retail stores. He will be responsible for all of Foot Locker’s domestic and international store banners.

Dallas -- In another sign that the luxury market is turning around faster than other retailing segments, Neiman Marcus’ third-quarter profit more than doubled.

The company's net income for the three months ended April 30 rose to $46.2 million, from $18.5 million.

Revenue rose 10% to $983.8 million, from $895.2 million last year. Same-store sales increased 9.7%.

Neiman Marcus operates 41 Neiman Marcus stores across the United States, 30 Last Call clearance stores and two Bergdorf Goodman stores in New York.

New York City -- Mom’s Organic Market has opened its seventh store, in Timonium, Md. Along with featuring 100%-certified organic produce, and organic and natural grocery products, the new Mom’s was built with the environment in mind.

"We believe that we are the most environmentally-responsible grocery chain in the country," said Scott Nash, who founded Mom's in 1987 with a $100 investment, in a report in The Gourmet Retailer.

New York City -- The Tommy Hilfiger Group said Friday that it will begin selling men's clothing in 90 locations of The Bay, a Canadian department store.

Gary Sheinbaum, CEO of Tommy Hilfiger North America, said Canada's "robust economy and increasingly discerning fashion consumers" influenced the decision.

The company described the setup as a "shop-in-shop," encompassing about 500 sq. ft. The shop will open by November.

The company has a similar set-up in the United States with Macy’s.

MONTVALE, .N.J. — The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company announced that it recently completed the previously announced auction of 25 southern Superfresh locations, as it continues to fully implement its comprehensive financial and operational restructuring. The winning bids, which are subject to approval from the bankruptcy court before the sales would be completed, will be listed in motions of the company to be filed with the court on May 27.

 The winning bids are as follows:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the first time, Big Lots is expanding its retail operations outside of the United States with the announcement that it has agreed to purchase all of the outstanding stock of Liquidation World Inc., an Ontario based retailer which operates 92 closeout stores in Canada. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio— DSW Inc. and its largest shareholder, Retail Ventures have completed their previously-announced merger.

INDIANAPOLIS —  Hhgregg has reported net income of $14.6 million for the fourth quarter ended March 31, or net income per diluted share of 36 cents, compared with net income of $10 million, or 25 cents per diluted share, for the comparable prior year period. Net sales for the period increased 21.5% to $507 million from $417 million, while same-store sales were down 10.8%