News

Framingham, Mass. – Staples is offering ambient alerts for its home and office automation platform Staples Connect. The alerts provide audio and visual notifications outside of the Staples Connect app and through compatible devices in the home or office.

Burlington, Mass. -- Demandware said that Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is using Demandware Commerce to power global expansion across Asia. The retailer recently launched 10 new e-commerce sites for its Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands with the Demandware platform, serving China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. All of the sites are mobile-optimized through responsive web design.

Austin, Texas -- Revionics announced that Save Mart Supermarkets, which operates 221 stores under the banners of Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky and FoodMaxx, has entered into a multi-year agreement for Revionics’ SaaS-based price optimization solution and its advanced analytics services, including the key value item (KVI) analysis and store cluster analysis.

New York -- In a deal that will greatly expand its luxury reach, Coach Inc. will acquire upscale footwear brand Stuart Weitzman Holdings from private equity firm Sycamore Partners. Coach will make initial cash payments of approximately $530 million to Sycamore Partners, and, in addition, will pay the firm up to another to $44 million in contingent payments upon hitting “selected revenue targets” over the next three years.

As it seeks to further improve its digital interaction with customers, Walgreens has chosen Qualcomm as its partner for device connectivity with the drugstore chain's mobile and web applications, as well as its Balance Rewards program. 

E-commerce sales at HHgregg surged during what was an otherwise unhappy holiday season that saw sales fall 6 percent and the company's share price tumble after it withdrew a 2015 profit forecast.

For the third quarter, the company estimated net sales of $666 million, a decrease of approximately 6% as compared to the prior year quarter. Same store sales for the third quarter decreased approximately 6%, with the appliance category relatively flat. However, the company estimated that its e-commerce sales were up approximately 59% for the third quarter.

Department stores could be in for a fresh approach from Coach, following its announcement that it will acquire upscale footwear brand Stuart Weitzman.

Coach will make initial cash payments of approximately $530 million to Sycamore Partners, and, in addition, will pay the firm up to another to $44 million in contingent payments upon hitting “selected revenue targets” over the next three years.

Online warehouse club operator Green Polka Dot Box has a quirky name, but shoppers don’t seem to mind as the natural foods retailer’s December sales increased 65 percent.

"Based on early sales results, we anticipate that customer growth in this first month of the year will increase from the current level of approximately 4,200 to more than 6,000," said Rod Smith, CEO of the company. "And that we will see corresponding increases in monthly sales in January.”

While retailers are sorting how to capitalize on wearable technology, Intel is betting that that smart glass manufacturer Vuzix will play a role.

Vuzix began selling its flagship M100 Smart Glasses on Amazon prior to the holiday and more recently Intel invested $24.8 million in the company. The investment gives Intel 48,626 shares of Vuzix’ preferred stock and the opportunity to convert those shares into common stock that would give Intel a 30 percent ownership stake in the company.

Western grocer Save Mart Supermarkets plans to increase its shopper relevance by implementing new technology that ensures the operator of 221 stores prices more strategically, consistently and competitively.