Distribution

It’s like it is 1997 all over again with the Federal Trade Commission stepping in to block a merger between Staples and Office Depot on grounds that the deal would diminish competition.

Walmart is the only chain retailer to fully meet a goal it made related to an initiative of opening stores in “food deserts,” the Associated Press reported. [Associated Press]

The combination of acquisitions, new unit expansion and same-store sales growth enabled Mattress Firm to achieve record third quarter results and the company’s biggest deal ever is expected to close in 2016.

Bobrick Washroom Equipment has acquired the commercial youth seating line (high chairs, boosters and infant cradles) of Central Specialties, Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Koala Kare Products (KKP) Centennial, Col., a division of Bobrick, will be responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of the product line with its current offering in the foodservice and hospitality markets.

Amazon drones may still be in the future, but Amazon trucks are ready now.

The Internet giant on Friday said it has purchased thousands of trailers that it will deploy in shipments to shuttle inventory along its supply chain, but not to customer homes. The Amazon-branded trailers will be pulled by tractor trucks provided by existing third-party transportation partners.

Amazon made the announcement at an event in Chicago where employees prepared 2,000 care packages to be sent to soldiers overseas. The packages included Amazon Fire tablets.

The big news for retailers this holiday season has been the strong surge in online shopping. It’s not that high online volumes weren’t expected; estimates placed online purchases to be as high as 20% of total holiday sales this year.

It seems we’ve hit a tipping point, however, where online promotions are of equal or greater importance to Black Friday retail success than in-store promotions, and where Cyber Monday has morphed into Cyber Week.

Amazon drones may still be in the future, but Amazon trucks are ready now.

According to Re/Code, Amazon.com has purchased thousands of trailers that it will deploy in shipments along its supply chain, but not to customer homes. The branded trailers storing Amazon merchandise will be pulled by tractor trucks provided by existing third-party transportation partners.

These shipments will occur between Amazon fulfillment centers and other internal fulfillment centers or sortation centers. At least for now, Amazon trailers will not be used for any customer deliveries.

Harry Rosen, Inc., a 17-store, Toronto-based luxury menswear retailer, is making the back-end effort to offer a front-end omnichannel experience.

Harry Rosen has chosen the Jesta I.S. Omnichannel Retail Suite, including merchandising, planning, distribution, POS and mobile POS, financials and business intelligence. The retailer expects to centralize its operations on the Jesta I.S. Vision Suite, bringing the entire company onto a single, integrated retail platform.

Nordstrom Rack, the off-price division of Nordstrom, continues its expansion, announcing two new upcoming locations.

The retailer plans to open a 28,000-sq.-ft. store at Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, Ill., in fall 2016. The property is owned by Macerich.

Tractor Supply Company is seeing green at its new distribution center.

The company’s new DC ,in Casa Grande, Arizona, has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the second LEED Silver certification awarded to a Tractor Supply Company facility within the last year.