Store Systems

Signet Jewelers is already the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry and it plans to get even bigger in 2016 by accelerating new store and omnichannel growth. The news came as the chain reported a same-store sales increase of 4.9% in the fourth quarter.

Delays in the required certification of payment terminals that accept credit and debit cards with embedded chips are frustrating many retailers, particularly midsized ones, and also costing them as, since Oct. 1, stores that cannot accept chip cards have had to shoulder the cost of fraud — and banks are not shy about passing along the bill, the New York Times reported.

E-commerce platform Shopify wants to help retailers engage customers, regardless of location or platform.

Having already launched integrations with major social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, Shopify is branching out in a big way. The company is allowing developers to build new connections it calls “sales channels,” which can include links to apps, platforms and digital marketplaces.

Nordstrom Inc. has named Kumar Srinivasan, a former technology executive at Amazon.com who has also experience with e-commerce technology providers, as CTO.

Srinivasan served as VP of Amazon Web Services from 2005-2008 and general manager of Amazon Payments from 2008-2010. More recently, he co-founded SaaS-based customer engagement platform Evocalize in 2012. Srinivasan also served as CTO of consumer-generated content platform Bazaarvoice from 2011-2012 and chief product and technology officer of social commerce site Lockerz.com from 2010-2011.

Teen retailer Zumiez has enhanced its omnichannel strategy by using its stores as local fulfillment centers for online purchases.

The Lynwood, Washington-based retailer of board-sports apparel and gear wants to ensure customers can seamlessly shop among its 600-plus brick-and-mortar and digital channels. To that end, it has partnered with supply chain management software provider SalesWarp to aid in the performance of distributed order management, customer service, warehouse management, and in-store fulfillment.

Online fine jeweler Blue Nile is set to open its first physical location outside of New York City in an ongoing effort to reimagine the jewelry buying experience.

Seattle-based Blue Nile said it would open a store at Tysons Corner Center mall in Fairfax County, Virginia by mid-summer as part of a strategy to open four locations this year.

Three Schnucks St. Charles County stores will unveil freshly remodeled interiors prior to the Easter holiday this weekend, the company announced Tuesday. Upon entering, customers will notice improved lighting, clean lines and new décor.