Mass Merchant

The remaking of Retail Properties of America is right on track, according to a financial review provided by the Oak Brook, Illinois company.   RPAI reported that it has completed $414.8 million worth of dispositions in the year to date, of which $367.2 million were non-target, multi-tenant retail assets.   In executing its strategic plan to focus on high-performing markets and properties, RPAI has exited multi-tenant retail operations in Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Ohio.

One of the nation’s fastest-growing communities shows no signs of slowing down.    Amazon has selected the master-planned town outside Orlando as the site of an 850,000-sq.-ft. distribution center set to open in 2018. It will create more than 1,500 full-time jobs, according to Amazon’s VP of North America Operations Akash Chauhan.  

Even back-to-school shopping is not what it once was.    U.S. students may still go back to school around the same general time each year, but the timing of BTS shopping has changed in recent years, becoming less consistent and less predictable. That's according to the Back-to-School report from The NPD Group, which finds that BTS shopping is starting earlier and lasting longer.    

Gymboree Corp. is "right-sizing" its store footprint.  

J.C. Penney is enhancing customer benefits in its loyalty program.   The retailer is debuting a revample program that allows Sephora customers to double-dip on rewards and also allows earned points to roll over from month to month, reported the Dallas News.   

The chairman and CEO of Sears Holding Co., is reportedly considering a deal with bankrupt Sears Canada.  

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has taken itself off the selling block.   The teen retailer said it has ended talks regarding a potential sale and will instead continue to focus on turning around its business as a standalone business.    

Amazon may be pulling out the stops to lure customers to participate in Prime Day, but competitors are taking steps to grab their own online sales.    The online giant’s third annual Prime Day global shopping extravaganza officially kicked off on Monday, July 10, at 6 pm PST, and will run until the wee hours of morning on July 12. Eager to take advantage of early bird shoppers, Amazon began rolling out sneak previews — and sales opportunities — as early as last week.