Sales & Marketing

New York -- Following an e-commerce upgrade, women’s shoe retailer Chinese Laundry is now going to change its e-commerce site to responsive design in the coming months an effort to increase its mobile conversion rate, Scott Cohn, VP president of e-commerce, said during a session at the annual Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition in Chicago.

New York -- Just under half of retail firms expect industry expansion, and over two-thirds will consider seeking additional financing in the coming year. And 45% believe the sector will expand in the year ahead. That’s according to a survey by GE Capital of C-suite executives at middle market companies (ranging from $10 million to less than $1 billion in sales).

Performance in the middle-market retail sector was positive over the past year, the survey found, with 75% of firms reporting improved year-over-year financial performance.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that board chairman Rob Walton is stepping down and will be succeeded by vice chairman Greg Penner, who is Walton's son-in-law. Walton relinquished the position of chairman at the company's annual meeting on June 5.

Target has quietly announced its next Lilly Pulitzer: a collaboration with another U.S. designer who will create a collection of new apparel, accessories, pet goods and home furnishings for the retailer.

Target announced on its Bullseye blog this week that it has chosen Adam Lippes to create more than 50 items inspired by buffalo plaid for the Adam Lippes for Target.

San Diego – PriceSmart Inc. increased net and same-store sales during May 2015. Net sales increased 14% to $230.2 million, from $202.3 million in May a year earlier.

Same-store sales rose 4.6%. There were 36 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of May 2015.
 

Digital design and marketing consultancy Razorfish made two key hires to bolster the capabilities of its rapidly growing commerce practice led by Commerce Strategy head Jason Goldberg.

Jon Reily and Steve White were named vice presidents of commerce strategy and both will report to Goldberg. The hire are said to help the agency meet the increasing demand from clients looking for partners able to combine commerce strategy with world-class delivery to reinvent and digitize their retail channels.

Lynnwood, Wash. – Zumiez Inc. met Wall Street expectations for profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2015.

Net income rose 12% to $2.8 million from $2.5 million the same period a year earlier, aided by slowing growth rates of cost of goods sold and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses.

Gloucester City, N.J. — The board of directors of Nest announced that Robert Almond, Jr. will take over as CEO of Nest, a 20-year-old multi-facility business advisor specializing in consulting, technology and financial solutions.