Omnichannel

CLEVELAND — American Greetings has expanded its line of justWink greeting cards.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Finish Line reported first quarter net sales of $319 million, an increase of 6.5% from the same period last year. Comparable-store sales were up 8% on top of a 6.5% increase last year.

The company reported earnings of 24 cents per diluted share.
   

By Michael Moores, [email protected]

Chicago -- A Thursday report by Bloomberg said that the Sprint-owned pay-as-you-go carrier Virgin Mobile will open 10 retail stores on Friday in Chicago, as part of its plan to leverage iPhone’s expansion into the prepaid wireless space.
 
With the openings, Virgin Mobile will become the second U.S. prepaid service to offer the Apple device, following the iPhone’s debut at Leap Wireless International on June 22.

NEW YORK — With the Nordstrom name often associated with high fashion, it is surprising that the retailer does not already have a flagship in New York City. In 2018, however, that will all change when the first full-line Nordstrom's store opens in the Columbus Circle area of Manahttan.

The store is being built by Extell Development Company and will occupy 285,000 square feet.

LOS ANGELES — Walmart is offering its customers more ways to connect with the availability of a new prepaid mobile broadband service from TruConnect Mobile.

Walmart is now the exclusive provider of Internet on the Go, powered by the MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot and a service plan from TruConnect with no monthly fee and where the data balance never expires (if used once a year). This is different from other low-cost prepaid monthly services where unused megabytes are wasted at the end of the month – potentially driving up the cost.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has enhanced its loyalty program with the launch of an all-new integrated, point-based system that delivers streamlined benefits for members, as well as new and existing "R"Uscredit card holders.

New York -- A study released Wednesday by Deloitte found that smartphones – which already influence 5.1% of all retail store sales in the United States – are expected to impact 19% of total store sales, amounting to $689 billion, by 2016.