News

San Francisco -- DHgate, an e-commerce marketplace focused on cross-border trade of Chinese goods, will provide its U.S. buyers with a consumer-rated protection plan and repair service through SquareTrade. The partnership makes SquareTrade protection plans immediately available for cell phones, tablets, computers, MP3/4 players, home audio/video and other consumer electronics products.   

By David Barach, Market6  

Sears and Amazon.com both recently came under fire for allowing rings decorated with the Nazi swastika symbol to be posted for sale on their third-party seller sites. While both retailers quickly pulled the items down and issued public apologies, they received a large amount of negative publicity and surely damaged their brand image with many offended customers, perhaps to the point of permanently losing some of them.  

Amazon Fashion celebrated the next generation of gifted fashion designers and industry creatives in its Studio Sessions Competition in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  The event brought together students from five participated schools – Fashion Institute of Technology, LIM College, Parsons School for the New Design, Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts.

In a flash-back move echoing the founding days of Overstock, the company has purchased the entire inventory of online jewelry company Bidz.com, out of foreclosure.

"We don't want to lose sight of where we come from," said Overstock President Stormy Simon. "When we have opportunities to bring our customers extraordinary deals like this, we make it happen."

Cowen Group, Inc. has designated Oliver Chen as a Managing Director in the company’s Equity Research department focused on key retail sectors.

In his new role, Chen covers specialty retail, broadlines and department stores, and luxury stocks.  Chen is based in New York and reports to Robert Fagin, Cowen’s Director of Research. 

Aeropostale has jumped on the social media band-wagon big time this fall.  The company has partnered with popular Vine stars Nash Grier, Hayes Grier, Cameron Dallas and Carter Reynolds for a launch of the UNITED XXVI Collection.

The first-ever UNITED XXVI Collection launched October 25th, exclusively in Aeropostale stores nationwide and on Aeropostale.com. The collection was designed to appeal to “edgy and contemporary” customer and to illustrate the most important "Fashion Now" statements of each of the young men's lifestyles.

Home improvement in New York is in for a new look in 2015 when Lowe’s opens two tiny stores in Manhattan.

Lowe's is coming to Manhattan to bring homeowners, renters and professional customers the products and services they need to maintain and improve their homes and businesses, the company said. Its two stores are slated to open in the second half of 2015 at 2008 Broadway at West 68th Street and 635 6th Avenue at West 19th Street.

M&M's brand will offer consumers two new ways to add variety to their baked goods. M&M's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bits and M&M's Minis Milk Chocolate Baking Bits are meant specifically for the baking aisle and will arrive on store shelves in 10-oz. laydown bags with recipes on the back. 

Nearly one-quarter of all consumers buy chocolate candy for baking throughout the season, according to the brand. The baking products will be available April 2015 for a suggested retail price of $2.99 to $3.28 per 10-oz. bag. 

Ricola, a manufacturer of herb drops, on Wednesday announced the introduction of Revitalizing Herb Drops, which work to restore energy. The drops contain a powder-filled center with B-vitamins to help give consumers a natural boost when they have a cough or cold, the company said.