Mass Merchant

Chris Saridakis, president of eBay Enterprise, a division of eBay, has resigned for personal reasons, according to the company.

An external search will be conducted for a successor, the company said. Until the search is completed, Tobias Hartmann, VP, omnichannel operations and international, will serve as the company’s interim head.

Saridakis had served as president of eBay Enterprise since June 2011, following the company’s acquisition of GSI Commerce (renamed eBay Enterprise in 2013), where he was part of that company’s management team.

King of Prussia, Pa. -- Rigid technology can be a prohibitor in omnichannel growth, especially for mid-market retailers, according to a new study by eBay Enterprise. The report, 2014 Omnichannel Benchmark Study, found that that mid-sized retailers are behind their larger competitors in implementing omnichannel experiences and inflexible technology is the biggest factor in prohibiting retailer maturity and growth.

Other key findings include:

Seattle -- Nordstrom plans to open a full-line store in the heart of downtown Toronto, at Toronto Eaton Centre.

Construction of the approximately 213,000-sq.-ft., three-level store is set to begin in March 2014, with the store opening slated for fall 2016. Toronto Eaton Centre is owned and managed by The Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd.

Almost seven-in-10 consumers surveyed expect to make more money, save more money and afford things they need in 2014, according to RetailMeNot’s 2014 Shoppers Trend Forecast. 

Purchase, N.Y. — Visionworks has taken 3,100 sq. ft. at Northampton Crossings in Easton, Pa., bringing the property up to 100% leased, according to National Realty & Development Corp., the center’s owner.

NRDC also noted that existing tenants Regis Hair Salon and Chrin’s Cleaners have extended their Northampton Crossings leases.

A Wal-Mart Supercenter, Regal Cinemas, Sam’s Club and Hobby Lobby anchor the 622,000-sq.-ft. power-center.

New York -- The U.S. National Labor Relations Board has filed a formal complaint charging that Wal-Mart Stores violated labor laws in 14 states by taking action against striking and protesting workers.

The NLRB said the retailer illegally fired, disciplined or threatened more than 60 employees in 14 states for participating in legally protected activities to complain about wages and working conditions.

By Lee Peterson, WD Partners

If a sacred cow exists among retail strategists today, the price-match is undoubtedly it. As the weapon of first resort, it is the most obvious defense against the rapid rise of “showrooming” and the unbridled growth of online retailing behemoths like Amazon, ruthlessly cutting into retailers’ profits.

Victory Electronic Cigarettes announced that Bill Fields, former president and CEO of Walmart stores division, will join its board of directors.