Sales & Marketing

Cincinnati -- Macy's Inc. will start selling some of its private brand merchandise directly to shoppers in China through a deal with an online retailer there.

The chain said it will the goods through a Macy’s section on Omei.com, a newly established China-based online retailer of in-season luxury and fashion brands operated by VIPStore Co., a Chinese e-commerce firm and parent company of Omei.com

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Customers who wish to pay their bills in person can now do so at Kmart through the retailers new CheckFreePay walk-in bill payment service from Fiserv. The program is available at all Kmart stores nationwide and accepts bill payment from more than 3,000 companies—everything from electric, gas and cable bills to credit card statements and auto loans.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Kmart announced it is launching an in-store bill pay program that will allow customers to pay bills from more than 3,000 companies—everything from electric, gas and cable bills to credit card statements and auto loans.

The program is being offered through the CheckFreePay walk-in bill payment service from Fiserv (FISV). Customers seeking an easy and convenient way to pay bills in person can now visit any Kmart store nationwide.

Specialty retailer Brookstone has hired Stephen Bebis as its new president and CEO, effective immediately.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Bebis spent 14 years as founder, president and CEO of Golf Town, the largest specialty golf retailer in Canada. Starting the business from scratch, Bebis grew Golf Town to 57 locations across Canada and led the expansion of the company into the Boston market last year with seven stores.

Dallas -- Zale Corp reported a narrower third-quarter loss on Wednesday.

Zale’s net loss narrowed by about a half to $4.5 million in the third quarter ended April 30, from $9 million a year ago.

Revenues for the quarter ended April 30, 2012 rose 8.1% to $445 million, compared with $412 million in the same period last year. Same-store sales increased 8%.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Net sales at Collective Brands during the first quarter increased 5% to $912.1 million over the same period last year, driven in part by an 8.1% increase in comparable-store sales. The company reported net income of $33.2 million, or 54 cents per share, compared with $26.4 million, or 42 cents per share, in the first quarter of 2011.

Redlands, Calif. -- Ascena Retail Group, whose brands include Dressbarn, Maurices, and Justice, is integrating Esri GIS analysis tools, demographic data, and map visualization into its business processes.

Indianapolis -- Hhgregg Inc.'s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings jumped as the chain collected $39.6 million in life insurance proceeds due to the death of executive chairman and former CEO Jerry W. Throgmartin.

Throgmartin, who died Jan. 22 at age 57, served as chairman and CEO of Hhgregg from 2003 to 2009 and led it through a 2007 initial public offering of stock. Hhgregg said Wednesday it collected the proceeds from a "key man" life insurance policy.