Logistics

Amazon is considering creating a network of drivers similar to Uber in order to speed up deliveries and reduce shipping costs, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Instead of using UPS or FedEx, Amazon.com is mulling a plan to hire ordinary people to make deliveries that are on the way to their destinations, the Journal says. The e-commerce giant is also looking at partnering with retailers to store the merchandise before delivery.

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As more brands evolve to a direct-to-consumer model, Unilever is expanding its direct selling to China by launching a flagship store on JD.com.

The Unilever flagship store on JD Worldwide, which is JD.com's cross-border e-commerce platform, will feature products from a range of Unilever’s most popular global brands such as Ponds, Dove and Vaseline. Notably, the flagship store will make available three product lines from Lux's shampoo range, which are currently the best-selling shampoo products in the Japanese market.

San Antonio, Texas — CST Brands Inc., through its CrossAmerica Partners LP wholly-owned subsidiary, has acquired the Charleston, West Virginia-based One Stop convenience store network. CST is also moving 29 recently constructed stores into its wholly-owned CrossAmerica partnership via two “dropdown” transactions.

Neckarlsum, Germany — Another German supermarket retailer has its sights set on the United States: Discount grocer Lidl on Friday announced it is establishing a U.S. corporate headquarters, in Arlington County, Va. The move comes as rival Aldi contines to aggressively expand throughout the United States.

Low-price grocery chain Aldi is coming to Southern California, as the retailer hastens plans to open at least 45 stores in that state by the end of 2016.

The retailer says it plans to hire more than 1,100 people to work in its Southern California stores, as well as at the company's regional headquarters and warehouse in Moreno Valley, Calif. 

Oak Brook, Ill. — Retail Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI) has closed on the acquisition of Woodinville Plaza located in the Seattle Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The property was acquired on an unencumbered basis for a gross purchase price of $35.3 million.   

Batavia, Ill. — Discount grocery powerhouse Aldi announced plans enter the nation’s most populous state, opening approximately 25 stores in Southern California by July 2016.      The chain’s expansion to California is an integral part of a five-year strategic plan to open 650 new stores across the nation. By the end of 2018, Aldi expects to operate nearly 2,000 stores.   

Dodgeville, Wis. -- Lands' End announced the appointments of two retail veterans to its executive team which is led by newly appointed CEO Federica Marchionni.

Joseph Boitano, most recently group senior VP and general merchandise manager for Saks Fifth Avenue, has been named Lands’ End executive VP, chief merchandising and design officer.