Retail

Reston, Va. -- Following recent e-commerce trends released by comScore, online spending continues to grow at a consistent 15% rate. As reported earlier, holiday e-commerce spending rose 15% year-over-year to $26.8 billion for the first 42 days of the shopping season, through Dec. 12.

And on Sunday, comScore released its latest findings, that online sales surpassed $1 billion on four days during the work week of December 12-16, a 15% increase over the same period last year.

Marketing claims about the lowest prices on the season on limited quantities for limited times are common throughout the holidays as retailers look to create a sense of urgency and close the sale with consumers. But haven’t consumer grown wise to these tactics?

With the exception of apparel markdowns, consumers have learned and retailers have taught them that another low price is just around the corner and that quantities are unlimited even though featured items may change.

Bethesda, Md. -- Archiecture and design firm Streetsense said Monday it has created an all-new interior design scheme for La Madeleine French Country Cafe, a national chain of French-themed fast-casual restaurants.

A 1,194-sq.-ft. restaurant using the new prototype design is now open at Northpark Center in Dallas, while another is under construction in Tulsa, Okla. La Madeleine also has engaged Streetsense to design two new stores planned for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, one in Tysons Corner, Va., and one in Silver Spring, Md.

NEW YORK — Affinity Solutions, a provider of transaction-based marketing programs for financial institutions and retailers in the United States, announced that John Brennan has joined as VP business development.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — With Christmas less than a week away, CVS Caremark is reminding shoppers that they can find gifts and deals at their local CVS/pharmacy.

Omaha, Neb. -- There is a heartwarming story playing out  at Kmart stores  throughout the Midwest: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers'  layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts, especially toys and children’s clothing, that the families might otherwise have a hard time paying, the Associated Press reported.

Dallas -- Venture Commercial Real Estate said it has represented rue21 in lease negotiations for two new store locations that opened in November in Paris, Texas and Chickasha, Okla.

The Paris store is in a 7,162-sq.-ft. space in Paris Towne Center, and the Chickasha store is located in the Southland Shopping Center.
 

NEW YORK — Duane Reade is set to put its signature “New York Living Made Easy” vision on full display on Friday with the unveiling of its expanded store located at 1657 Broadway in New York.

The new 24-hour location, which opened Friday, will serve as an amplification of the retailer’s continued rebranding and aggressive transformation initiatives to date.