eCommerce

SALT LAKE CITY — Online discount retailer Overstock.com reported a 19% increase in total net revenue for the first quarter, thanks to a 21% increase in average order size.  

Overstock.com’s total net revenue for the quarter was $312 million, up from $262 million for the first quarter of last year, even though the company reported a small decrease in the number of customer orders. Its net income for the quarter surged to $8 million, up from $2.7 million for the same period last year. 

I recently attended Chain Store Age’s 49th annual Store Planning, Equipment, Construction and Facilities Services Seminars (SPECS) in Dallas, Texas. While SPECS always gives me plenty to think about, this year was especially interesting thanks to the debut of a new segment on Real Estate Development. In addition to other workshop “tracks” like Facilities, Business Strategies, and Planning & Design, the inclusion of Real Estate Development to the mix really brought new (and important) perspectives.

Cleveland -- Forest City Enterprises said that, as its Short Pump Town Center celebrates 10 years in the Richmond, Va., market, it has launched a “Drawing Board” on Popularise, an online crowdsourcing and community engagement tool that focuses on real estate development.

It seems everywhere you turn there is yet another headline questioning whether traditional retail stands on the brink of extinction due to the rise of showrooming. And it’s not hard to see how the practice of visiting a brick-and-mortar store to try out a product before ultimately purchasing it through an online merchant got its start. As humans, we have an innate need to see, hear, smell, feel and manipulate objects in our physical world.

Burlington, Mass. -- Demandware said Tuesday that Crabtree & Evelyn has re-launched  its U.S. e-commerce site, Crabtree-evelyn.com, on the Demandware Commerce platform. In addition, Crabtree & Evelyn is leveraging Demandware’s web design capabilities to extend the online shopping experience to smartphones and tablets.

The 500+-store Crabtree & Evelyn also plans to use Demandware Commerce to support its global expansion strategy.

San Francisco -- In a presentation to shareholders at its annual investor meeting on Wednesday, Gap CEO Glenn Murphy outlined growth initiatives that include taking Old Navy international via a franchising route, and expanding on its online programs.

New York -- The latest round in the battle between Macy’s and J.C. Penney over the sale of Martha Stewart goods went to Macy’s, which on Monday challenged a judge’s decision on Friday to allow certain non-branded Martha Steward items to be sold — at least temporarily — in J.C. Penney stores under the JCP Everyday label.

New York -- A Wednesday report by Women’s Wear Daily said Libby Wadle been named president of the J. Crew brand, charged with overseeing both the retail and direct businesses of J. Crew, Crewcuts and J. Crew factory outlets. She was previously EVP.

Former chief administrative officer James Scully has been promoted to COO.