News

In announcing its new mobile ordering service, Starbucks referenced a "seismic shift in consumer behavior in which many traditional brick-and-mortar retailers experienced a decline in foot traffic compared with significant growth in online shopping" during the 2013 holiday season. Indeed, consumers are increasingly comfortable with bypassing physical stores and purchasing goods online, especially when facing the prospect of holiday crowds and traffic.  

By Jeff Weidauer, Vestcom International There’s been a lot of discussion in recent months about store sizes, in particular the fact that stores are getting smaller, primarily because of the impact of e-commerce. For example, Walmart and Target are both committed to offering smaller format stores.

By Jeff Weidauer, Vestcom International   There’s been a lot of discussion in recent months about store sizes, in particular the fact that stores are getting smaller, primarily because of the impact of e-commerce. For example, Walmart and Target are both committed to offering smaller format stores.   

Nashville -- Responding to the Ebola virus that has ravaged West Africa, the Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI) is launching a major campaign to help fight Ebola in Liberia. Working with its partner charities operating in Liberia, the #RetailFightsEbola campaign is rallying retailers, manufacturers and individuals to provide much-needed medical and hygienic supplies to Liberia.   

Woonsocket, R.I. –- CVS Health Corp. and Rite Aid. Corp., which have both used the near-field communication (NFC) technology that supports Apple Pay, have disabled their NFC payment systems to block Apple Pay from working in their stores. 

 

York, Me. –- Stonewall Kitchen has received an investment from private equity firm Centre Partners. As part of the investment, Stonewall Kitchen will continue to be managed by its existing leadership team with the addition of Centre operating partner John Stiker, who has been named CEO.    

San Francisco -- DHgate, an e-commerce marketplace focused on cross-border trade of Chinese goods, will provide its U.S. buyers with a consumer-rated protection plan and repair service through SquareTrade. The partnership makes SquareTrade protection plans immediately available for cell phones, tablets, computers, MP3/4 players, home audio/video and other consumer electronics products.   

By David Barach, Market6  

Sears and Amazon.com both recently came under fire for allowing rings decorated with the Nazi swastika symbol to be posted for sale on their third-party seller sites. While both retailers quickly pulled the items down and issued public apologies, they received a large amount of negative publicity and surely damaged their brand image with many offended customers, perhaps to the point of permanently losing some of them.  

Amazon Fashion celebrated the next generation of gifted fashion designers and industry creatives in its Studio Sessions Competition in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  The event brought together students from five participated schools – Fashion Institute of Technology, LIM College, Parsons School for the New Design, Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts.