Sales & Marketing

Neiman Marcus plans to grow sales by investing in technology, working with new designers and expanding its footprint, according to IPO paperwork the retailer filed with the SEC.

Downers Grove, Ill. – FTD Companies Inc. was provided a substantial financial boost in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 as a result of its December 2014 acquisition of floral gifting company Provide Commerce. The added business helped almost quadruple net income to $17.8 million from $4.7 million in the same period the previous fiscal year.

Consolidated revenues were $365.8 million, roughly double $168.1 million. New revenue from Provide Commerce, as well as increases in consumer and florist revenue, drove the sales growth.

Irvine, Calif. -- Billabong International has selected a retail suite from JustEnough’s retail suite of solutions to help transform its planning and replenishment processes across all its brands worldwide.

Toys"R"Us is headed to a galaxy far, far away with its next promotion.

Denver – Whatever the cool kids (and their families) are doing this summer, back-to-school shopping does not appear to be on the agenda.

An ongoing shopper behavior study conducted by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research shows that retailers will continue to see the number of back-to-school shoppers in their stores drop.

In 2014, the data showed 36% of shoppers would not be shopping back-to-school, and this year the study is showing a 7% increase in those not shopping for back-to-school.

The pace of store closings at Office Depot is accelerating and employee retention costs are rising as the retailer maintains that its merger with Staples will close by year end.

San Francisco -- Gensler announced that Jim Crawford has joined its lifestyle team as director of strategy and experience design. Crawford most recently served as chief experience officer at Chute Gerdeman, where he was responsible for integrating technology into award-winning store and experience design projects.

At Gensler, Crawford will utilize skills to enhance the firm’s practice and work with clients in multiple industries connecting digital and physical design with business and consumer objectives.
 

New York -- Uniqlo is coming to Boston.

The Japanese fast-fashion retailer will open its first permanent store in the city, a two-level, 12,000-sq.-ft. flagship in Faneuil Hall Marketplace in October.

In a nod to its surroundings, the store will feature heavy earth tones, wood, and brick with the original walls of the structure exposed. Open ceilings will highlight the building’s original wood trusses.