News

Amazon looks Southwest for latest facility
Amazon.com is continuing its rapid pace of distribution infrastructure expansion with a planned new center in Houston. The 855,000-sq.-ft. fulfillment center will employ more than 1,000 full-time workers. Employees will pick, pack and ship smaller customer items, such as books, electronics and toys.
Retailer debuts U.S. consumer drone delivery – and it’s not Amazon
The first fully autonomous drone delivery to a customer home has occurred, and the retailer behind it is not who you would expect. Leading convenience chain 7-Eleven partnered with independent drone delivery service Flirtey and the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) to complete two deliveries from a store in Reno, Nevada on Sunday, July 10. 7-Eleven merchandise, including hot and cold food items, were loaded into a Flirtey drone delivery container and flown autonomously using precision GPS to a local customer’s house.

Home remodeling boom is good news for retailers

With home prices on the rise, consumers are once again investing in remodeling and repair projects.
Amazon puts toe in banking sector by selling student loans

Amazon Prime has added yet another item to its growing lineup of membership benefits: discounts on student loans. The online giant is teaming up with Wells Fargo to offer Amazon Prime Student members a discount on private student loans that are taken out through Wells Fargo Educational Financial Services, the largest private student lender among U.S. commercial banks. (Membership in Amazon Prime Student costs $49 a year, which is half the price of a regular Amazon Prime membership.)
NRF: back-to-school spending to reach $75.8 billion

With back-to-school spending on a “stock up” cycle rather than a “make do” cycle, total spending for K-12 and college school supplies is expected to reach $75.8 billion, up from last year’s $68 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics.
Fender amps up consumer choice
Texas Sugar Refinery slated for 855,000-sq.-ft. mixed use project

The 26-acre property of the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Sugar Land, Texas, has been purchased by a developer that intends to transform it into a mixed-use facility comprising a hotel, apartments, and a 290,000 sq. ft. retail and entertainment center.
ECRM taps media veteran Wayne Bennett to lead retail development

Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM), a leader in business innovation and technology, has hired retail business-to-business media veteran Wayne Bennett as senior VP, retail to lead business process initiatives between the retail industry and the supplier community that serves them.
Specialty jeweler steps up store expansion

Alex and Ani is ramping up its store growth. The Cranston, Rhode Island-based retailer plans to open 27 new locations in North America by the end of 2016, giving it a total of some 90 stores. With the majority of its stores located on the East Coast, Alex and Ani, which is privately held, is now looking further afield. It will make its Southern California debut this fall, in Orange County.
Starbucks takes express store concept over the pond

Starbucks Corp.’s “express” store format made its international debut, in London. Designed for people on-the-go, the store has a welcoming environment with the barista and customer at its heart. Design features include textures of complementary natural wood and marble. It offers a streamlined menu with items displayed on digital menu boards that rotate throughout the day. The open layout allows for an early order point, which allows customers to order, pay and pick-up even faster.