Supply Chain & Merchandising

Atlanta - Online shoppers frequently change retail channels during their shopping experience. According to the new Pulse of the Online Shopper study from UPS and comScore, better prices (57%) and selection (49%) are the top reasons for purchasing online after researching an item in-store.

Nearly half (48%) of online shoppers have used ship to store in the past year, and 45% of those consumers made an additional purchase when picking up their online purchase.

Irving, Texas – Net income at the Michaels Companies Inc. skyrocketed 47% to $67 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 compared to $45 million in the same quarter a year earlier. A large drop in interest expense helped fuel strong profit growth.

Net sales climbed 2% to $1.08 billion, from $1.05 billion. Same-store sales rose 0.3%. Michaels said unfavorable weather and a strong U.S. dollar hindered sales growth.

The CEO of Best Buy says brick-and-mortar stores are absolutely vital to beating Amazon.com and other retail rivals.

According to MPR News, Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly told students at the University of Minnesota that "the chain's roughly 1,400 U.S. stores allow the retailer to demonstrate new products for customers and deliver the goods faster than Internet-only merchants."

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San Jose, Calif. – The eBay Valet professional selling service will now accept high-end clothing in addition to shoes, handbags, electronics and other popular household items. eBay Valet provides features such as price estimates for potential buyers, taking professional pictures, and shipping.

eBay partnered with fashion blogger Garance Doré to officially debut the expansion of eBay Valet. Dore provided tips and tricks on what to sell and how to sell fashion items.

Same store sales increased 2.1% at Rite Aid in May thanks in large part to growth in the retailer's pharmacy division.

New York – J. Crew Group is prepping for a down fiscal 2015 after a disappointing first quarter. Non-cash goodwill impairment charges and rising selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses helped significantly increase the retailer’s net loss to $462.4 million, compared to $30.1 million the first quarter of fiscal 2014.

Lands’ End Inc. reported profit and sales declines in the first quarter as the retailer grappled with West Coast port delays and headwinds from foreign exchange rates.

Philadelphia – Five Below Inc. reported healthy profit and sales gains in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 and is planning to open 155 stores in the next two fiscal years. The retailer’s net income totaled $4.28 million, up 39% from $3.08 million a year earlier.

Higher gross profit and the elimination of debt extinguishment loss helped Five Below reach above in net income. Five Below plans to open 70 stores and enter six new states in 2015, and plans 85 openings for 2016.