News

Fitness guru Jillian Michaels and Kmart this month plan to launch a new line of performance activewear branded as Impact by Jillian Michaels as part of Kmart's strategy to expand and strengthen health and wellness offerings.

The product line will be available online beginning August 10 for Kmart’s Shopyourway.com members and in stores on August 17 with prices ranging from $10.99 to $36.99. The line of apparel and accessories encompasses categories such as core training, running, yoga and lifestyle.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot has raised its full-year adjusted operating income forecast as cost savings from the closure of some U.S. stores related to its acquisition of OfficeMax are expected to be higher than previously anticipated. As previously announced, Office Depot plans to close at least 400 stores by the end of 2016, with about 165 closures in 2014.

Minneapolis - HighJump Software, a provider of supply chain execution and retail management software, is releasing new capabilities and enhancements to its Retailvantage retail inventory and POS solution. With more than 50 enhancements and new features added to the system, this latest release includes enhanced reporting functionality, further e-commerce integration with FurnitureDealer.net and MicroD, and new capabilities such as the ability to send e-receipts and capture digital customer signatures at the point-of-sale.

North Bergen, N.J. – Vitamin Shoppe Inc. reported net income of $16.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, down 8% from $18.3 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Expenses related to Vitamin Shoppe’s March 2013 purchase of Super Supplements chain helped reduce the retailer’s net income.

Under Armour’s newest board member is former ESPN president George Bondenheimer.
 
"We are excited to have George Bodenheimer joining our board," Under Armour CEO and chairman Kevin Plank said "His pioneering vision and his experience building and leading a global sports media brand will bring important perspective and expertise to our company as we continue to expand the UA brand globally."
 

Once again a move by our innovative friends at Amazon.com has prompted me to write a Tech Bytes column. Amazon’s latest interesting venture is the launch of an online marketplace for items created by 3D printer. Currently, the online 3D printed products store includes more than 200 items in categories such as jewelry, toys, home décor and fashion accessories. The new store will feature design templates for product individualization and 3D preview capability.

Online retailer Overstock.com is launching a partnership with nonprofit Give Back Box to make donating used clothes easier for its customers.
 
Soon, customers who order products from Overstock.com will be able to use an enclosed Give Back Box shipping label to send their used clothes to nonprofits nationwide.
 

Tamarac, Fla. – Mayors Jewelers, a brand of Birks Group Inc., will use private label credit card services from Alliance Data Systems Corp. Alliance Data is offering a customized, multi-channel credit program for the Mayors Jewelers brand, designed to help deliver incremental sales, cross-product selling and increased transaction size.