News

Walmart is partnering with Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba to allow customers to make purchases using mobile devices in 25 of its stores in southern China.

Express is hoping to attract fans of the hit movie “Pitch Perfect” with a new fashion line targeted to Millennials.

The retailer has partnered with Universal Pictures and Gold Circle Entertainment's “Pitch Perfect 2,” in theaters May 15, to create a dual-gender collection based on the looks seen in the film.

Cult favorite grocery chain Wegman's is coming to New York City, with plasn to build a massive store in Brooklyn.

The owner of Corner Bakery, Arby’s and Batteries Plus, among other national retailers, has acquired Pet Supermarket.

Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital Group says Pet Supermarket will remain headquartered in Sunrise, Fla., and continue to be led by CEO Diane Holtz. Pet Supermarket operates 155 pet specialty retail stores in 11 states generating over $300 million of revenue.

JCPenney Company cited strong financial results in the first quarter as the impetus for going on the offensive to gain back share and becoming the “preferred shopping choice for Middle America.”

JCPenney reported net sales of $2.86 billion compared to $2.80 billion in the first quarter of 2014. Same store sales increased 3.4% for the period. 

The company has made inroads in recent quarters on its turnaround, and the company may finally be making progress on reconnecting with its core customers. 

Toronto -- Canadians are not flocking over the border as much as last year, according to a recent cross-border shopping survey by marketing research firm GfK. Deterred by higher US exchange rates, Canadians are less willing to make the drive, despite the wider product selections available stateside.

Los Angeles – Commercial builder Bernards is constructing two mixed-use, multifamily projects in Southern California that will include a strong retail presence. Bernard’s is nearing the end of the construction phase for the new, 303-unit Camden Glendale (formerly Glendale Triangle), a seven-story project designed to appeal to “Gen-X” professionals.

Los Angeles – Net loss at American Apparel Inc. grew to $26.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, from $5.5 million the same quarter a year earlier. Increased cost of sales and foreign currency translation, as well as legal, litigation and consulting costs related to the termination of founder/CEO Dov Chaney, helped boost net loss.

San Francisco – Gap Inc. reported disappointing sales for April and the first quarter, hurt by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange and sliding sales at its namesake and Banana Republic divisions. Also, earlier timing of the Easter holiday, as compared to 2014, benefited the company’s March sales results and negatively impacted its April sales results.

Total same-store sales fell 12% in April, worse than predicted. Sales at Old Navy declined 6%, while sales at Banana Republic plunged 15%. Same-store sales for Gap fell 15%.

San Jose, Calif. – The shift of the Easter shopping season to March 2015 from April 2014 (Easter fell on April 5, 2015, the first day of fiscal April) had a substantial negative impact on year-over-year retail sales results. According to the RetailNext Retail Performance Pulse, sales dropped 12.5% compared to the same month a year earlier, while sales per shopper (SPS) actually increased 2.4%.