News

New York -- Facebook hopes to transform the way  customers communicate with retailers by re-inventing the customer service platform. Facebook and its partner Zendesk, a customer service platform firm, are teaming up to allow businesses to provide scalable and responsive customer service to the more than 600 million people worldwide who use Facebook's popular Messenger app. The social media giant is inviting retailers and other companies to develop software that allows customers to communicate instantly with them through Messenger.

Philadelphia -- Five Below Inc. on Wednesday reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $33.3 million. It also confirmed plans to open 70 stores in 2015, up from 62 in 2014.

Net sales in the quarter, ended Jan. 31, increased by 24.4% to $263.8 million from $212.0 million the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased by 3.2%. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations.

For the year, the company reported profit of $48 million. Revenue was reported as $680.2 million.

Fred's Super Dollar has signed an agreement to acquire Reeves-Sain Drug Store, a private specialty and retail pharmacy company based in the Nashville, Tenn., area.

New York -- U.S. retailers are struggling to meet the demands of consumers, according to a report by Accenture. An overwhelming majority (82%) of consumers expect a retailer’s prices to be the same in-store and online, up 13% over last year’s study, but only 34% of retailers met this expectation for more than 80% of the items assessed, Accenture found.

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) recently conducted a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to simplify the process of selling to the major retailer.

Working with the American Logistics Association, AAFES participated in the trade group’s 2015 Exchange Impact Workshop in Dallas. Led by AAFES Chief Merchandising Officer Ana Middleton, she and more than 50 AAFES representatives detailed the Exchanges’ go to market strategy to an audience comprised of manufacturers, brokers, distributors, and service providers.

Canton, Mass. -- Destination XL Group Inc. grew sales and margin and swung to a profit in its fourth-quarter, reporting net income of $1.6 million, after a $55.1 million loss in the same period a year earlier. It also announced plans to open 40 DXL stores in 2015.

The retailer of men’s big and tall apparel reported revenue of $119.6 million in the period. Sales per square foot in DXL stores rose 10% to $165. Total same-store sales increased 8.9%.

Some retailers have had a rough time being successful in Canada, but not Dollarama, where profits, sales and store counts are on the increase.

In fact, customers increased their spending at the Canadian discounter over the fourth quarter, leading to  the chain’s quarterly profit rising about 21%.