Sales & Marketing

New York -- Retailers in the United States are taking a huge risk by underestimating the buying power of the over-50 generation, according to a new report by the Fung Business Intelligence Centre.
 
The study, “A Booming Opportunity: Profiling from a Graying America,” finds that the aging Baby Boomers will continue to be a growing consumer market for the next 20 years.

Cost-cutting efforts ongoing at Toys “R” Us Inc. helped the retailer report a profit in the fourth quarter.

Overall, for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, Toys “R” Us reported a profit of $265 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $210 million.

Omaha, Neb. – Net income at Gordmans Stores Inc. dropped 15% to $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, from $2.7 million the same period a year earlier. Increased selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs helped push down profits.

In 2015, the company plans to open six new stores, two of which opened in the Cleveland area earlier in March. Gordmans also plans to close one store later in 2015 when the lease term expires.

The Next Big Thing in e-commerce is set to launch in late May according to Marc Lore, CEO of a new online Marketplace called Jet that blends aspects of the traditional warehouse club model with a new approach to dynamic pricing and fulfillment.

Lore said the Jet board of directors is scheduled to meet on May 7. At that time he expects the platform will be ready for launch and the board will pick a specific launch date within the following two week window.

Houston – Mattress Firm Holding Corp. is revving up its growth in fiscal 2015, with plans to open 200 to 220 new stores.

New York -- Amazon.com has received preliminary approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to test drone delivery. Although consumers should not expect packages to be dropped on their porches by buzzing unmanned aircraft anytime soon, just getting the OK to test the devices is regarded as a big win for the online retail giant.

Off-price retailer Gordmans Stores Inc. on Friday reported a decline in same store sales for the 10th straight quarter.

Gordmans said fourth-quarter net income was $2.3 million, or 12 cents a share, down from $2.7 million, or 14 cents as share, a year earlier. Sales at stores open at least one year fell 2.7%. Net sales rose 2% to $204 million.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. remains highly bullish on expansion. In remarks at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, the coffee giant revealed that over the next five years it plans to open 3,500 locations in its Americas region and 8,000 new stores in foreign markets. And just in case you were wondering … Starbucks noted that Shanghai has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world in which it operates.