News

New York -- Yet another online company has entered the physical retail space: Google has opened an in-store shop in Currys PC World, on Tottenham Court Road in London. It is the first time the Internet giant has opened a retail space under its own name, and two additional shops are slated to open later this year, in Currys PC World’s Fulham and Thurrock locations.

Columbus, Ohio – Expenses, primarily related to incremental marketing activities, helped decrease profits at Express Inc. during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. But the chain beat Wall Street analysts earnings and sales estimates while also giving an upbeat outlook for its current quarter.

Express reported net income of $41.8 million, down 16% from $49.7 million last year.

Baltimore - Under Armour has opened its first-ever digital headquarters, in downtown Austin, Texas. The 35,000-plus-sq.-ft. “Connected Fitness” center employs more than 100 engineers, data scientists, designers, and product innovators in digital health, fitness, and sports, and is expected to grow substantially by the end of the year. It is the sporting goods company’s facility solely dedicated to digital innovation.

Grapevine, Texas - GameStop customers can now sell select gift cards at any GameStop retail location, as well as online. This is part of an expanded offering launched online in 2014 through a partnership with gift card exchange platform Cardpool.

Hangzhou, China – Alibaba Holding Group Inc. is reportedly considering a cash investment in Indian e-commerce platform Snapdeal. According to Reuters, Alibaba is in ongoing negotiations with Snapdeal, but no agreement is imminent.

Alibaba does not hold any direct investments in India, although Alibaba subsidiary Ant Financial purchased 25% of Indian payment services provider Paytm in February 2015.

Franklin, Tenn. - Worldwide mobile POS shipments grew by 77.4% in 2014 and this growth rate is maintaining its pace in 2015. According to new research from IHL Group, specialty stores still dominate the use of mobile POS worldwide, receiving 58% of total shipments in 2014.

Bordeaux, France - Bébé 9, a subsidiary of the France Maternité group, has selected Raymark's end-to-end suite of retail enterprise solutions for deployment in its 140 stores. Specifically, Bébé 9 is rolling out Raymark as its partner for an omnichannel technology overhaul aimed at centralizing operations, improving efficiency and cultivating customer relationships across e-commerce, social media and other channels.

Phoenix – PetSmart on Wednesday named industry veteran Michael J. Massey as its president and CEO, effective immediately. Massey, who most recently served as CEO and president of Collective Brands Inc., replaces David Lenhardt, who stepped down upon the closing of private equity firm BC Partners’s acquisition of the pet supplies retailer.  Also, BC Partners managing partner Raymond Svider has been appointed non-executive chairman.

The ripple effects of Walmart’s wage action have extended to Plano, Tex., where home décor retailer At Home has upped the minimum wage ante with a more generous pay plan for hourly workers.

At Home, the company formerly known as Garden Ridge, operates 83 stores in 22 states. Beginning in May, the company said it would pay full-time hourly employees a minimum of $10 an hour and the minimum hourly rate for part-timers will increase to $9 an hour.

Walter J. Salmon, the distinguished Harvard Business School professor who influenced generations of retailers, has died at the age of 84.

Salmon, long one of the world’s leading experts on retailing, retail distribution, and marketing, who for more than 40 years influenced thousands of students, executives and other academics, was the school’s Stanley Roth Sr. Professor of Retailing Emeritus.