Omnichannel

Philadelphia -- Urban Outfitters recorded earnings of $73.1 million for the quarter ended Oct. 31, a 17% hike over the $62.4 million recorded in the prior year period, helped by higher sales and improved growth in comparable store net sales. Quarterly earnings were ahead of the analysts' expectations, while sales came in short of the consensus.

Revenue rose 13.4% to $573.6 million, missing Wall Street estimates of $580 million.

New York City -- Saks reported Tuesday that its net income rose to $36.3 million for the quarter ended Oct. 30, up from $6.3 million in the year-ago period. Third-quarter 2010 results were helped by a surge in luxury spending and a $26.7 million gain related to income tax reversals.

Revenues rose to $658.8 million for the quarter, compared with $631.4 million the prior year. Same-store sales increased 5.7%.

Minneapolis  -- Target on Tuesday became the first mass-discount retailer to make the shopkick mobile application available to its shoppers. Users of the app will receive points and other rewards, like instant mobile coupons, just for entering Target. The location-based retail app is available in 242 stores in the Chicago; Dallas; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis; New York City and San Francisco/Silicon Valley markets.

Ann Arbor , Mich. -- Borders announced an all new Borders.com featuring discounts on the 100,000 bestselling titles, multiple free shipping options, new product lines, strategic partnerships that complement the Borders brand and a more integrated social media experience.

To celebrate the new Borders.com, the company said it is offering free shipping on all orders placed on Borders.com, Nov. 15.

New York City -- New Street Realty Advisors, LLC announced a lease transaction between Whitehall Properties II, LLC, the owners of The Caroline at 706 Avenue of the Americas, New York City, and Just Salad.

The 3,000-sq.-ft. ground floor space is located on the east side of Sixth Avenue between East 22nd Street and East 23rd Street.

Just Salad is slated to open in the spring.

Just Salad currently has five locations in New York City and two locations in Hong Kong.

Nov. 11 2010
By Bridget Trask
Email: [email protected]

Is it ever too early to start planning for the holiday rush? Not in the retail sector, where revenue expectations rely on that all-important spike in fourth quarter sales. Every day counts, especially this year, when retailers will feel the full impact of a major change in the marketplace -- growth in customer demand for a shopping experience via multiple interaction channels.