News

New regs pose drone dilemma for retailers, except Amazon.com
Federal regulations governing unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, will be in place by this time next year.

Most retailers won’t be ready, but Amazon says it will be as soon as the feds are. Testifying at a congressional hearing on June 17, Paul Misener, Amazon.com’s vice president of global public policy told lawmakers it would be ready to deliver packages via its service branded as Prime Air as soon as federal rules are in place.
Dr Pepper celebrates Hispanic youth culture
Dr Pepper is targeting Hispanic millennials through a creative marketing partnership with the 2015 Premios Juventud VIP Tour.

The PJ VIP Tour, which paves the way to the 2015 Premios Juventud Awards Show airing on the Univision Network on July 16, will make stops in Miami, Los Angeles, San Jose, Houston, and will finish in Chicago and give Dr Pepper a special opportunity to tap into the Latino youth market.

Study: Product recommendations combat dropping conversions, cart adds

Philadelphia — Except for a momentary spike during the 2014 holiday season, conversion and add-to-cart rates have been dropping steadily year-over-year. However, according to the global Ecommerce Quarterly report from Monetate, personalized, relevant product recommendations help brands avoid this issue.
Authentic Brands Group completes purchase of Frederick’s of Hollywood

New York — Authentic Brands Group LLC (ABG) , whose brands include Jones New York and Juicy Couture, has closed on its purchase of Frederick's of Hollywood Group for an undisclosed sum. Previous reports indicated the acquisition agreement, announced in April 2015, was for $22.5 million.
Anna’s Linens files for Chapter 11; negotiating sale

Costa Mesa, Calif. — Anna's Linens Inc. announced it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection on June 14. The retailer said it is working to negotiate a sale to DW Partners, a multi-strategy fund manager with $6 billion in assets.

The asset management firm would become “the stalking horse” bidder, and make the initial bid in a bankruptcy auction sale.
Macy's touts appointment service for Father's Day

Just ahead of Dad’s big day on Sunday, Macy’s is promoting its Father’s Day offerings by encouraging shoppers to use its appointment service to find the perfect gift for Dad.
Gap out of touch with millennials?

New York — Gap stores have failed to keep up with the fashion tastes of millennial shoppers, who have a much different fashion sense than the generation before them, according to the Washington Post. Read the full story here.
Instacart now delivers from Smart & Final

Fast growing grocery delivery service Instacart is adding a value-oriented chain to its network of grocery stores.

The company announced it is teaming up with Smart & Final to allow customers in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area to choose from virtually any items carried at their local Smart & Final store and have them delivered in as little as one hour.

Prices on Instacart will match Smart & Final's everyday low in-store prices, excluding special offers.
IBM: Mobile shopping grows in importance for holidays

Armonk, N.Y. — Retailers looking ahead to meeting the needs of holiday shoppers should be aware of the continuing growth of mobile’s importance as a consumer channel. According to IBM’s Eighth Annual Online Retail Holiday Readiness Report, mobile accounted for 23% of sales and 45% of traffic in November and December 2014, respectively.
Toys"R"Us grows omnichannel capabilities in Europe

Efforts to transform the customer experience and optimize e-commerce capabilities at Toys”R”Us are getting a boost in Europe with a new distribution center.

The retailer says it has completed a new distribution center in Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, France, to support the company's rapidly expanding e-commerce business throughout the country and in select sections of Europe.