Supply Chain & Merchandising

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. – Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that Charming Charlie will open a new store at Plymouth Meeting Mall, located in suburban Philadelphia.

The new 12,000-sq.-ft. store is slated to open spring 2012. It completes the center’s recently developed outdoor lifestyle retail wing, which is anchored by Whole Foods Market and Café and features Loft, Orvis, Chico’s, Coldwater Creek, Jos. A Bank, Olly Shoes and Massage Envy.

NEW YORK — Although online sales grew 15% from 2010 to 2011, many retailers' online ordering, shipping and returns processes failed to keep pace, according to management consultancy Kurt Salmon's rankings of 50 retailers.

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea said Thursday it plans to install solar energy panels on five more of its U.S. locations – all of them in the Midwest. Installation is slated for summer 2012 completion and will expand Ikea’s solar presence to nearly 85% of its U.S. locations. 

Commerce, Calif. -- 99 Cents Only Stores reported Wednesday that total third-quarter revenue rose to $403.9 million, from $365.4 million.

Sales at its namesake stores grew to $393.3 million from $354.1 million a year ago, just missing Wall Street’s expected $393.6 million in revenue.

For the quarter, same-store sales rose 8.5% on higher traffic and per-visit tickets.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation reported Thursday that holiday sales edged NRF forecasts, rising 4.1% to $471.5 billion for the period.

NRF predicted 3.8% growth. Results exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants.

SAN FRANCISCO — Williams-Sonoma Inc. said Thursday it has cut its fiscal Q4 earnings outlook below Wall Street expectations due to heavy holiday promotions levels.

The company said it had to offer discounts to entice shoppers this holiday season. Although earnings guidance has been reduced to below expectations, Williams-Sonoma’s revenue outlook remains in line with Wall Street, trimmed to a range of $1.24 billion to $1.26 billion. The company had previously expected revenue as high as $1.27 billion.

Moorestown, N.J. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that it has executed a deal with Regal Entertainment Group to build the Regal Moorestown Mall Stadium 12 & Regal Premium Experience at Moorestown Mall, in southern N.J.

The 56,000-sq.-ft., 12-screen theatre is slated to open in time for the 2013 summer movie season.

COMMERCE, Calif. — Sales at 99-Cents Only Stores rose 10.6% to $403.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 over sales of $365.4 milllion for the same quarter last year.  

The company's overall same-store sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 increased 8.5%. The number of same-store-sales transactions increased 5.6% and the average transaction size increased to $9.86 from $9.59.