Supply Chain & Merchandising

Chesapeake, Va. - In a merger that will shake up the dollar store retail vertical, Dollar Tree is acquiring Family Dollar for $8.5 billion in cash and stock. The resulting company will operate more than 13,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada, with an annual sales volume of $18 billion.

Beijing -- Secoo.com, a Chinese luxury and high-end fashion e-commerce company, recently completed a new round of financing that has raised around $100 million. The event represents the largest amount of financing raised in one round across the Chinese luxury and high-end fashion e-commerce sector to date.

New York - June 2014 showed levels of imports to the U.S. 6% higher than imports in June 2013. According to new data from Panjiva, the numbers of shipments coming into the U.S. also changed .03% from May 2014 to June 2014.

Although Panjiva analysis indicates imports are strong and the U.S. economy generally looks optimistic, a possible port workers strike brewing in California could disrupt 40% of the waterborne goods coming into the country. Situations in the Middle East and Ukraine may cause supply chain disruptions as well.

Tewskbury, Mass. – The unfolding saga at the Market Basket grocery chain continues to take unexpected twists and turns. According to the Boston Globe, the board of directors of Market Basket parent company Demoulas Super Markets has said it will consider a purchase offer from former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, and the company also faces a lawsuit from several employees.

More than 200 unique print on-demand products are now available at Amazon as the company looks to give customers yet another reason to visit its website.

Amazon launched the 3D Printed Products store at www.amazon.com/3dp which gives customers access to 200 products that can be customized by material, size, style and color variations, and personalized with text and image imprints.

Dallas - Society Bakery is using the mobile Cartwheel Register checkout app from Tantrum Street to conduct transactions via smartphones and tablets. The app includes a back-end system offering reports such as costs, sales information, and item management, available both immediately via phone and emailed daily.

Society Bakery has improved ordering, checkout and reporting functions since rolling out Checkout Register.

Seattle – Amazon.com reported a second quarter net loss of $126 million, compared to a net loss of $7 million in the same period last year, as it continues to spend heavily on investments. The loss was nearly double what Wall Street higher expected. Operating expenses rose 24% to $19.36 billion.

Net sales increased 23% to $19.34 billion in the second quarter, compared with $15.70 billion in second quarter 2013. Net sales met Wall Street expectations. A favorable change in foreign exchange rates boosted revenues.

As part of its continued growth strategy, Williams-Sonoma made several organizational changes to its management team.

Chief marketing officer Pat Connolly has been elevated to chief strategy and business development officer. Connolly will work closely with senior management to refine the company’s long-term strategy, including the development of new businesses, and the evaluation and execution of acquisitions and alliances that can provide significant growth.