eCommerce

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Skava, a leading provider of mobile, tablet and in-store technologies for U.S. online retailers, have appointed Vivek Agrawal, a 17-year veteran of commerce and omnichannel solutions to leading brands, as the company’s global VP of operations.

NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. saw sales growth and an improved operating margin for the second quarter ended July 31, fueled largely by its performance in China. 

The company’s total sales in the Americas region were lackluster, increasing 2% to $444 million in the second quarter. Comparable-store sales remained flat for the quarter.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company is making its Evolution Fresh juice and Evolution Harvest premium brands available at Whole Foods Market stores across the United  States. This expansion advances Evolution Fresh growth plans to be in approximately 8,000 Starbucks and grocery locations by the end of the year.

LAS VEGAS — Online retailer 6pm.com has promoted Jay Alexander to the newly created position of senior style adviser. This role was created to reinforce the brand's growth through on-trend, in-season merchandise and respond to customers' requests for access to a style expert. 

In his new role, Alexander will leverage his designer relationships and knowledge of the latest runway and market trends to help customers score the best styles for their entire family — therein giving online consumers the in-store treatment.

Retailers tapping into technology to maximize in-store labor during the busiest season

Let the games begin.

Retailers are gearing up for the Super Bowl of the holiday-selling season, when stores generate up to 40% of their annual sales and boost their staffs in light of the heightened shopping spree.

As technology reshapes the retail landscape at a dizzying pace, it’s also advancing the art and science of aligning sales and traffic patterns with in-store labor — particularly crucial during the make-or-break winter selling period.

L3 Capital invests in what it calls prime urban retail, which includes a lot of street retail in the premier cities. "We own retail properties in several neighborhoods in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago," said Greg Schott managing piincipal.

At the end of last year, L3 made its first investment in its hometown of Chicago. The company bought four retail buildings along a flourishing four-block retail stretch of Southport Avenue in the Lakewood neighborhood. The cost was $13 million for 17,000 sq. ft.

Richfield, Minn. -- Best Buy Inc.’s founder and largest shareholder, Richard Schulze, plans to sell off an unspecified portion of his 20% stock holdings in the chain, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  

The move is part of Schulze's “personal long-term strategy for asset diversification and liquidity,” according to the filing, which did not disclose the total number of shares expected to be effected by the sale.

NEW YORK — Multichannel retailer Delia’s, which markets primarily to teen girls, continues facing challenges in traffic trends as it wrapped up the second quarter ended Aug. 3 with total revenue of $33.2 million, a 16.7% drop from $39.8 million in the year-ago quarter.