eCommerce

New Albany, Ohio -- Abercrombie & Fitch shrunk its net loss during the first quarter of 2013 but still reported thin financial results. Net loss for the quarter was $7.2 million, compared to $21.3 million during the first quarter of 2012. The results missed analysts’ estimates.

Net sales dropped 9% from $921.2 million to $838.8 million. Same-store sales plummeted 17%. Direct-to-consumer sales fell 6%. U.S. same-store sales fell 14%; international comparable sales were down 16%.

Merrimack, N.H. -- Brookstone announced the appointment of William E. Watts as the company's new executive chairman of the company's board of directors, effective immediately.

Watts has been a partner of J.W. Childs Associates since June 2001. Previously, he was president and CEO of GNC from 1991 until 2001.

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — The Wet Seal’s CEO focused on the positive following the company’s first quarter results for the period ended May 4.

ALLEN, Texas — PFSweb, an international provider of end-to-end e-commerce solutions, has appointed Shin Nagakura to the company’s board of directors.

Nagakura is a director of Transcosmos, or TCI, a leading Japanese business process outsourcing company. His appointment fulfills a condition of the strategic relationship that TCI and PFSweb entered into on May 15, which states that a TCI representative must sit on PFSweb’s board.

NEW YORK — Foot Locker has posted the best quarterly profit results in its history for the first quarter ended May 4. The company's net income for the quarter was $138 million, a 10% increased from $128 million for the same period last year.  

The New York-based specialty athletic retailer's first quarter comparable store sales increased 5.2%.

New York -- Rue21 shareholder Apax Partners will acquire the teen apparel retailer in a deal valued at about $1.1 billion. The private equity firm, which has a 30% stake in rue21, also owns Cole Haan and Takko Fashion as part of its retail portfolio.

Rue21 said it has set up a special committee of independent directors to solicit and evaluate higher bids during a 40-day go-shop period.

IRVING, Texas — Michaels reported net sales of $993 million for the first quarter ended May 4, an increase of 1.5% from $978 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. 

Although same-store sales decreased 0.7% due to a 3% decrease in transactions, it was offset by a positive 1.7% impact from a higher average ticket and a positive 0.6% impact in deferred custom framing revenue. Michaels experienced its strongest sales increases for the quarter in custom framing and yarn.

Grapevine, Texas – While overall sales for GameStop fell significantly during first quarter 2013, the video game retailer can take some solace in a substantial boom in mobile sales. Total sales of $1.87 billion were about 7% below $2 billion in sales recorded during the first quarter of last year. However, mobile sales grew an impressive 290% to $46.8 million and digital receipts increased 47%. Net earnings of $54.6 million were 25% below net earnings of $72.5 million a year earlier.