News

Can Retailers Survive the West Coast Port Mess?
By Frank Layo, Kurt Salmon

First the bad news: The chronic congestion tying the West Coast ports in knots is on track to cost U.S. retailers some $7 billion this year, and losses could total nearly $37 billion by the end of 2016.

And the good news? At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be much to speak of.
7-Eleven waives franchise fee for select corporate stores
Dallas - Between now and June 30, 7-Eleven Inc. will waive the franchise fee on a select number of its U.S. stores available for franchise, a savings of up to $80,000. The more than 200 available stores are located in cities across the country.

During the last four years 7-Eleven has grown its store base by more than 1,300 units. Now that a 7-Eleven customer base has been established at these locations, the company is looking to transition these stores to franchise operations.

Ace Hardware rolls out delivery service

Snowed in and need a shovel? If you live near an Ace Hardware, you may be able to get that shovel delivered.

That’s because the retailer is rolling out its latest pilot program: Express Delivery. The program allows customers to find the products they need on acehardware.com and have them delivered by a helpful associate from their neighborhood Ace the same day.
Starbucks launching subscription delivery service of high-end coffees

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company is taking its coffee to an entirely new level as it continues to target consumers who are willing to pay for super-premium brews. The company said Tuesday it will offer online customers subscription delivery of its small-lot coffees.
Michaels expands work with Starlight

Michaels is broadening is involvement with a global charity focused on improving the health of children and families.

Michaels and its subsidiary Aaron Brothers have supported Starlight since 2010. The expanded partnership will increase the company's involvement through a wide range of programs that include corporate contributions, in-store promotions, customer donation programs, associate-driven events and giving, vendor engagement, product donations and more.
Obama administration moves to end West Coast port dispute

Washington, D.C. – The National Retail Federation is welcoming the direct involvement of Labor Secretary Tom Perez in the ongoing dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).

The Obama administration has dispatched Perez to participate in talks aimed at ending the standoff between West Coast port workers and management which resulted in a four-day shutdown of ports on the U.S. West Coast from Feb. 13-16.
Urban Outfitters e-commerce fulfillment center moving to Pennsylvania

Philadelphia - Urban Outfitters Inc. plans to relocate its Trenton, South Carolina e-commerce fulfillment center to Gap, Pennsylvania. Construction of the new one million-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Gap is on schedule to be complete by July 2015.
‘Inverse Showrooming’ Made a Brief Appearance During Holiday 2014

By Haydn Simpson, NetNames
Survey: Most sites not ready for global commerce

New York – A majority of business websites are not ready for prime time, at least when it comes to global commerce.

According to a new survey from multilingual search agency Oban Digital, while 67% of business executive respondents say that internationalization is a key part of their growth strategy, only 20% of businesses have all of their current online communications adapted for local culture or language, a key driver of sales success.
Wolverine eyes expansion, omnichannel initiatives

Leading branded footwear company Wolverine is eyeing 2015 as a year to focus on omnichannel and expansion.

The parent company of Stride-Rite, Merrell and other brands says it is poised to realign its resources to address a fundamental shift in consumer shopping behavior and allow for greater focus on important omnichannel initiatives.