News

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. 

 

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.

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.

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- Cosmetics retailer Ultra Beauty has implemented Oracle Commerce to support growing e-commerce sales and deliver a consistent consumer experience across its more than 696 retail locations as well as mobile, web, guest services, and direct mail channels.  

Fisher-Price, Inc., has partnered with a global pop star mom and a philanthropist Shakira and the Barefoot Foundation to create a web series for moms and co-develop a new line of Babygear and toys.

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.  

Home improvement in New York is in for a new look in 2015 when Lowe’s opens two tiny stores in Manhattan.

Lowe's is coming to Manhattan to bring homeowners, renters and professional customers the products and services they need to maintain and improve their homes and businesses, the company said. Its two stores are slated to open in the second half of 2015 at 2008 Broadway at West 68th Street and 635 6th Avenue at West 19th Street.

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.