Retail

By Denise Lee Yohn, Deniseleeyohn.com

Apple has once again rewritten the rules of business.  Its request to trademark the “Distinctive Design & Layout” of its stores has been granted by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. And so, as unconventional as it may seem, the Apple store’s distinctive minimalist design and Genius Bar service are now as protected as the rounded corners and user interface of the company’s mobile devices.  

New York -- Saks Fifth Avenue has redesigned the Saks.com homepage to include a longer, more fluid layout that more prominently highlights seasonal trends and most-wanted designers.

New features on Saks.com include large-scale photography, improved navigation, easier access to the editorial area and product pages.

Chicago -- Vibes, a mobile marketing and technology company, announced the results of a successful mobile campaign aimed at engaging and increasing Build-A-Bear Workshop’s customer base through their mobile phones.
 

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters reported net income of $83 million for the fourth quarter ended January 31, 2013, up from $39.26 million in the year-ago period, on strong same-store sales and higher revenue.

Total company net sales for the quarter increased 17% to $857 million. Comparable retail segment net sales, which include comparable direct-to-consumer channel, increased 11% for the quarter, while comparable store net sales were flat.

New York -- Leslie Dach, EVP corporate affairs for Wal-Mart Stores, will step down in June. The retailer, which announced the news in a memo to employees, said it is actively searching for a replacement. The news was first reported by Politico.

"Leslie has played a pivotal role in helping us understand the broader role Walmart can play in meeting the major challenges facing society today, and social goals are now an integral part of how we run our business," Wal-Mart chief executive Mike Duke in the memo.

New York -- Foot Locker Inc. on Friday said its fourth quarter profit rose to $104 million from $81 million a year earlier.

Sales jumped 14% to $1.71 billion, including the benefit of an extra week. Same-store sales rose 7.9%.

For fiscal year 2012, which included 53 weeks, the company reported net income of $397 million, compared to $278 million a year earlier.

Total sales increased 9.9% in 2012 to $6.182 million, compared with sales of $5.623 million last year. Same-store sales were up 9.4% in 2012.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced two new locations for Nordstrom Rack, with stores planned for Chicago and Jacksonville, Fla.

In Jacksonville, Nordstrom Rack will open in The Markets at Town Center in Jacksonville, Fla. The approximately 35,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2013.

The announcement follows recently announced plans to open a Nordstrom full-line store at St. Johns Town Center in fall 2014. Nordstrom currently operates nine full-line stores and eight Rack stores throughout Florida.

New York -- After nearly three weeks of testimony, a New York State Supreme Court Judge ordered Macy's, J.C. Penney Co. and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia into mediation to try and reach a settlement in their contract dispute trial.
 
If the three companies do not reach an agreement before April 8, the judge will resume hearing the case.
 
In another development in the ongoing dispute, Penney agreed not to sell certain Martha Stewart-designed goods (products deemed exclusive to Macy’s) until at least April 8.