eCommerce

New York -- Signet Jewelers Ltd. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ultra Stores, Inc. from Crystal Financial LLC. and its other stockholders for approximately $57 million in cash. Ultra operates stores primarily in outlet centers, as well as licensed jewelry departments.
   
Signet will not assume any debt in connection with the acquisition.
 

New York -- Macerich announced that Eataly, the largest artisanal Italian food and wine emporium in the world, has reached an agreement to open its second U.S. location, at The Shops at North Bridge near Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

The new location, expected to open in September 2013, will be the concept's largest, at 60,000 sq. ft. Eataly opened its first U.S. store, in Manhattan, in 2010.
Eataly is a collaboration among Joe Bastianich, Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and Oscar Farinetti, who founded Eataly in Turin, Italy, in 2007.

PORTLAND, Maine -- The Body Shop launched a new earth-friendly eGift Card service powered by CashStar, a digital gifting and incentives company. Customers can now  purchase and send personalized eGift Cards to family and friends for redemption online or at any of the thousands of The Body Shop stores across the United States and Canada.
 

Waynesville, N.C. -- Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL & Associates Properties announced the opening of its newest community center development, Waynesville Commons, a 127,500-sq.-ft. community center in Waynesville, N.C.  

Joining the existing Walmart, the 100% leased center is anchored by an 85,000-sq.-ft. Belk, Michaels and PetSmart, along with 11,000 sq. ft. of specialty stores including US Cellular and Rack Room Shoes.

Dallas -- A survey released Tuesday by Chase Paymentech, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co., found that online companies are expecting the 2012 holiday shopping season to be better than last year.

According to the Chase Paymentech eHoliday Shopping Monitor, 59% of e-commerce companies surveyed expect better sales volume this season than in 2011, while almost half (47%) expect it to be better than pre-recession levels in 2007.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Tuesday it will sell its $5.9 billion credit card portfolio to TD Bank Group.

The business will be sold for an amount equal to the gross value of the outstanding receivables at the time of closing, said Target; the portfolio currently has a gross value of about $5.9 billion.

TD Bank also agreed to a seven-year deal to underwrite, fund and own the retailer’s future credit card and Visa receivables in the U.S.

New York -- Coach Inc. reported Tuesday that profit for the quarter ended Sept. 29 rose 3% to $221.4 million, compared with $215 million for the same period last year and beating Wall Street expectations.

Sales surged 11% to $1.16 billion, in line with forecasts, and same-store sales in North America rose 11%, bolstering the luxury retailer’s results for the quarter. In China, same-store sales also rose by double-digits.