Supply Chain & Merchandising

Online deal provider Groupon is attempting to increase supply chain efficiency in a way that will allow it to offer even more and better discounts.

Groupon is partnering with Optoro, a platform for returned and excess inventory, to better process returns for its Groupon Goods business. Groupon Goods offers discounts on physical items.

Ahold and Delhaize Group on Monday announced that they have called Extraordinary General Meetings for March 14, 2016, during which their respective shareholders will consider and vote on the proposal to approve the companies' intended merger.

Ahold has also made publicly available the prospectus included in its F-4 registration statement, which has now been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and its approved EU prospectus. These are required steps in the process of completing their merger.

H&M isn’t letting a challenging retail environment stand in the way of its physical expansion.

The Swedish retail powerhouse plans to open 425 stores in 2016, with a focus on expansion in the United States and China. The company will also enter several new markets this year, including New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Cyprus.

In addition, the chain will expand its e-commerce site to several markets, including Ireland, Japan, and Greece.

At the close of its fiscal year, H&M operated 3,924 stores in 61 markets.

Destination XL increased its earnings guidance for fiscal 2015 after the men's big and tall retailer pre-announced high single digit Q4 comps and increased profit.

Macy’s named longtime executive Peter Sachse to a new position with added responsibility for merchandising and said Justin S. MacFarlane joined the company as chief strategy, analytics and innovation officer.

The company said the changes were part of the company’s plan to, “aggressively to grow its omnichannel business based on intensive insight into evolving consumer preferences and changing shopping patterns.”

American Apparel founder and ousted CEO is nothing if not determined.

Days after a bankruptcy court judge rejected a takeover proposal by Hagan Capital and Silver Creek Capital Partners that would have also returned Dov Charney to a leadership position at American Apparel, the controversial founder is reportedly already at work on his return to the retail scene.

Soft Surroundings has completed a dividend recapitalization that was financed through an expansion of the existing credit facility.

The women’s lifestyle retailer is in the midst of a nationwide store expansion strategy, and the new debt financing includes a designated facility to fund future store openings. The company opened 11 new stores in 2015 and has identified over 15 locations for 2016.

Destination XL increased its earnings guidance for fiscal 2015 after the men's big-and-tall retailer pre-announced increased profit and high single-digit same-store sales for the fourth quarter.