eCommerce

New York City -- Loehmann's Holdings filed a Chapter 11 reorganization plan that includes a stock-rights offering backed by its Dubai-based owner, according to a Friday report by Bloomberg. The plan also includes a requirement that the Loehmann’s seek approval to sell its assets.

By David King, fulcrm.com

For many retailers, the “best customer” search has been an ineffective venture where the results haven’t warranted the time or expense, despite a host of different efforts. But this tantalizing target keeps pulling dollars out of budgets, dollars that could be spent on creating a more realistic and profitable approach to customers -- one that considers customers’ shifting behaviors and value.

New York City -- Looking for a hit list of the hottest new stores around the globe? Check out the 10 contenders below. The list comes from the folks behind the cutting-edge, London-based retail consultancy echochamber.com.

Forever 21, Times Square, New York City: This vast, 90,000-sq.ft. store has a sense of quality that is astonishing given its low price-points. The best feature is the exterior: an amazing interactive digital billboard features giant-sized virtual models who take Polaroid pictures of the crowd below.

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Columbus, Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust announced that infant furniture, accessory and clothing retailer giggle has joined the growing tenant roster at its Scottsdale Quarter project in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The new store, which opened Dec. 2, is giggle’s 13th store and first in the state of Arizona.

The giggle store will join other national tenants at Scottsdale Quarter, including Nike; Apple Store; A/X Armani Exchange; H&M, West Elm; and IPic Theaters.

New York City -- Forever 21’s massive Times Square flagship, a shop that sells ice cream made to order and frozen with liquid nitrogen, and a new beauty-and-wellness concept in Hong Kong are on a list of the hottest new stores around the globe.

The list comes from the folks behind the cutting-edge, London-based retail consultancy echochamber.com:

Bentonville, Ark. -- Sam's Club has launched a new service that offers delivery, installation, assembly or set-up of a number of items such as mattresses, televisions, computers, barbecue grills and more. The chain said it is offering the service for items purchased at more than 600 stores nationwide.

The service is provided by a third-party vendor that will work on both home and business installation. Delivery prices start at $59 and installation is provided at an additional cost.

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said it has been retained as the exclusive retail leasing agent for the Manhattan franchisee of Elevation Burger, which controls the chain’s locations south of 50th Street and is currently the only Manhattan franchisee. 

Earlier this year, RKF represented the burger chain’s franchisee in the leasing of its Manhattan flagship location at 103 West 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. It is scheduled to open in December.

New York City -- The National Retail Federation on Friday released its 2010 list that annually ranks the 10 stores with the best customer service.

The list is based on surveys of more than 9,000 shoppers, all asked the following question: “Thinking of all the different retail formats (store, catalog, Internet or home shopping), which retailer delivers the best customer service?”

In total, the NRF ranked 46 stores, and will release the complete list in January.