eCommerce

Amazon.com may have achieved record fourth-quarter sales of $25.6 billion, but its top line was well below what analysts expected and so were profits.

The company’s sales increased 20% to $25.6 billion during the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, compared to $21.3 billion the prior year. Analysts had forecast sales of slightly more than $26 billion. Meanwhile, Amazon said it earned profits of $239 million, or 51 cents a share, well ahead of prior year figures of $97 million and 21 cents a share, but substantially below the 74 cents analysts were expecting.

Less than two months after Sam’s Club named a new president and CEO, two of the warehouse club’s top executives are scheduled to weigh in on its digital direction at an event in late February.

Lands' End is looking to further its position as a lifestyle brand by entering the body care category with the launch of its Coastal Living Body Care Collection.   

The body care collection includes lavender and honey blossom scented body lotion, hand cream and body wash, and is available at landsend.com.

The retail and consumer packaged goods industry fared poorly in a recent global ranking of corporate sustainability leaders with the handful of standouts being Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Staples and Campbell Soup Company.

The ranking of 100 companies compiled by Corporate Knights, a media, research and investment advisory company, included only17 U.S. companies and only two retailers. Sweden’s H&M was ranked 64th and Staples was ranked 72nd.

Target plans to carry on its Canadian expansion this year with nine additional stores, the majority of which will open in Ontario, although the retailer plans to open single stores in Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C.

Kozy Shack, a 50-year-old pudding brand, is hiring a spokes-grandma to represent the brand nationally in online, broadcast and print advertisements.

The call for applications has been put out coast-to-coast: Pudding-loving grandmas can submit their applications at KozyShack.me/Grandma now through Jan. 31. More information can be found in job postings on Monster, Careerbuilder and LinkedIn.

ShopAdvisor, is a mobile service that reminds consumers of the things they want to buy later on, has named Peter O’Kelly as chief data officer. He will lead the company’s efforts to turn its collection of intent and affinity shopping data into offerings for media providers, marketers and retailers.

Crest has launched Be, a new line of toothpastes that features three new flavors: Mint Chocolate Trek, Vanilla Mint Spark and Lime Spearmint Zest.