Supply Chain & Merchandising

Amazon is once again bolstering its warehouse fleet in the Sunshine State.   The online giant will open an 850,000-sq.-ft. facility staffed with robots and more than 1,000 workers in South Florida. The depot will reside in a vacant property that is currently being transformed into a 97-acre commercial center adjoining the county’s Opa-locka airport, according to The Miami Herald.  

Amazon has completed its acquisition of e-commerce company souq.com, a leader in the Middle East's online shopping market. The deal, which was initially announced in March, closed for $580 million in cash, according to filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.   

Sur La Table is inviting shoppers to its version of Black Friday in July.   Replacing multiple smaller weekend sales that typically run throughout the month, the kitchenware retailer is introducing a one-day shopping event called “Lime Day.” The sale, which is set to launch on July 10, will feature more than 300 lime-themed items on sale for up to 75% off.   

Amazon has brought the saying, “Christmas in July” to life with its Prime Day global shopping extravaganza and this year's event promises to be bigger than ever.   

Nike is opening up shop on Amazon.   The sportswear giant has entered into a pilot program with the online giant to sell a limited (at least initially) selection of footwear, apparel, and accessories on the online site. Nike products have long been available on Amazon, but only through unauthorized third party sellers. This will be the first time that Nike has sold directly on the Amazon.   

The RoomPlace growing its store portfolio.   The family-owned company has opened a new showroom and warehouse distribution center in Indianapolis. The location is part of a strategic initiative to expand the furniture retailer's footprint in the city.   The new outpost also marks The RoomPlace's 25th store, with locations across Illinois and Indiana. It is one of the company's largest, at over 70,000 sq. ft. features a 16,000-sq.-ft. clearance center.   

Regional supermarket operator Shnucks is the latest grocer to offer customers same-day delivery.