News

Fort Myers, Fla. -- Chico’s FAS reported an 18.4% decline in second quarter net profit, after increased promotional activity took a toll on same-store sales. 

Chico’s net income totaled $43.6 million from $53.4 million in the year-ago period.

Surprisingly strong sales at Zale’s nearly 1,700 stores propelled the company to its strongest full year financial performance in six years.

Zale said total company same store sales for its fourth quarter increased 5.6% and margins expanded which allowed the company to delivered its highest net income in six years for its fourth quarter ended July 31. Same store sales at Zale branded stores were even higher at 8.1% on top of a prior year increase of 12.3% the prior year.

Seattle – Amazon.com has introduced the Mobile Associates API for Kindle Fire and other Android devices, enabling developers to sell physical and digital items from Amazon.com within their apps and games. Developers and members of the Amazon Associates program (the API is technically an extension of the program) can now sell a single item from within an app or game, showcase a category of goods, or bundle the purchase of physical goods with the purchase of digital goods.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Snyder's-Lance has acquired all assets of Stateline Service Corporation, a snack food distributor in Massachusetts, as part of its growth initiative. 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Chico's FAS’s financial results for the second quarter ended Aug. 3 were affected by a lower transaction count and average dollar sales, primarily because of lower traffic and the cycling of strong comparable sales last year.

The company reported net income of $43.6 million for the quarter — a decrease of 18.4% compared to $53.4 million in the year-ago quarter, and earnings per diluted share of $0.27, a decrease of 15.6% compared to $0.32 per diluted share in the year-ago quarter.

Total m-commerce spending is poised to exceed $25 billion this year following a 24% surge in second quarter smartphone and tablet enabled sales that pushed estimated spending to $4.7 billion, according to digital measurement provider comScore.

The firm said m-commerce spending in the first half of the year totaled $10.6 billion, representing 10% of total digital commerce during that time. With the expected seasonal surge coming in the fourth quarter, m-commerce spending could surpass $25 billion for the full year, according to comScore’s estimates.

In retail, as in life, experience is everything. Whether it’s online, on a smartphone or in the store, it really doesn’t make a difference. A bad experience will turn off customers, while a good one will build brand advocates. It’s always been like that, of course. But today’s technology-enabled shoppers have changed the rules of the game by upping the stakes considerably.

By Tom Pettit, senior VP & general manager, Ryder Supply Chain Solutions, [email protected]