Retail

New York - L.L. Bean had the overall best customer service performance in May, the second time the retailer has topped the list in the past three months. According to monthly benchmark analysis from customer service analysis provider StellaService, L.L. Bean’s performance was strong in nearly every area — fourth in phone, sixth in email, eighth in chat and fourth in returns/refunds.

Minneapolis – Best Buy Inc. is reportedly considering selling off its Chinese business or finding a partner to help operate it. According to the Wall Street Journal, Best Buy is working with Bank of America Merrill Lynch to examine its options in China.

New York - Barnes & Noble Inc. plans to spin off its Nook e-reader unit as a separately traded public company from its retail operation by the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The retailer made this decision as its consolidated net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 shrank from $114.8 million to $36.7 million, missing Wall Street estimates.

Toronto – New research from loyalty currency management provider Points shows that offering points and miles for everyday purchases is the most effective means of driving consumer loyalty. Points surveyed more than 1,500 loyalty program members from across North America and found that 83% earn points and miles on everyday purchases.

New York — Cohen Real Estate, a Manhattan-based full-service brokerage firm specializing in retail properties throughout the United States, has been retained to market Shoppes of Silverwood, a full-service strip shopping center located in Ricon, Georgia.

San Francisco -- PBteen, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, opens a store at Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia, on June 27. This will be the 17th PBteen location and the second combined Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and PBteen store in the U.S.

Boulder, Colo. — Kroger is the highest ranked gasoline retailer for customer satisfaction among American consumers. According to a new study of 5,300 consumers from Market Force Information, Costco and Quik Trip tied for second, Sam’s Club ranked third, and Murphy USA, which operates standalone stations and on-site stations at Walmart Supercenters, was fourth.

Sidney, Neb. – Cabela’s Inc. reportedly plans to open 20 new Canadian stores by 2016. According to the Financial Post, the retailer, which currently operates five stores in Canada, will open its sixth in Barrie, Ontario, on July 10.

Other planned locations for new Canadian stores include Nanaimo, British Columbia in fall 2014 and Moncton, New Brunswick in 2015. Cabela’s is planning slow growth in Canada, focusing on locations with favorable co-tenants and localizing product assortments at the store level.