eCommerce

TOPEKA, Kan. and MIAMI -- Payless ShoeSource announced that it is now partnering with internationally acclaimed Colombian fashion designer, Silvia Tcherassi, to create the latest Payless designer label, Silvia Tcherassi for Payless, with an initial collection available in May.

Bensalem, Pa. -- Charming Shoppes said it would close 240 unprofitable stores in 2011, or nearly 12% of its total outlets, and that more than half of those would be Fashion Bug stores.
 
The locations were not disclosed.

The company said all 30 of its Catherines Plus Sizes stores in outlet locations would be shuttered over a two-year period.
 

Even though Target’s efforts in the electronics area have been overshadowed of late by all the action in food and consumables, the company has consistently positioned itself to become a more relevant player in the space. The most recent example involves expansion of a trade-in program that coincides with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS hand-held gaming system. The product is a big deal due to some new technology that lets users experience 3D without the annoying glasses, but the product is expensive ($249), and that doesn’t included the added cost of games.

SAN JOSE, Calif. & KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.  -- Ebay Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire GSI Commerce, a leading provider of e-commerce and interactive marketing services, for $29.25 a share, or total consideration of approximately $2.4 billion. The acquisition, which will be financed with cash and debt, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.

Medford, Ore. -- Harry & David Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, according to a filing.

The gift basket retailer will continue to operate the business as debtors under the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court. The company has nearly $200 million in outstanding debt.

Harry & David sells its products through catalogs, its website and in stores, which are primarily in factory outlet malls across the nation.

A 400,000-sq.-ft., Wal-Mart Supercenter- and Lowe’s-anchored, regional shopping center opened on March 15 in Hamburg, Pa.

Tilden Ridge Shopping Center, owned by West Conshohocken, Pa.-based Ironwood Property Group and leased by Metro Commercial Real Estate, was almost six years in the making, and features a site that shares a traffic signal with a 250,000-sq.-ft. Cabela’s store.

SEATTLE -- REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) announced 2010 sales of $1.66 billion, up 14% from $1.46 billion the previous year, proving that even in a down economy outdoor enthusiasts will find ways to support their passion. Net income in 2010 was $30.2 million, up 1.4% from $29.8 million in the previous year. The company’s direct sales channel, which includes online and catalog sales, grew by 22.9%. Comp-store sales grew by 8.1%, up from negative 3.5% in 2009.

In a decision that is sending waves across the national retail industry, the California Supreme Court recently held that ZIP codes constitute “personal identification information” under the Song-Beverly Credit Card Act. The decision, Pineda v. Williams-Sonoma Stores Inc., generally will expose retailers who request such information from customers paying with a credit card to penalties of up to $1,000 per request.