News

Columbus, Ohio – Express Inc. beat Wall Street expectations for both profit and revenue during the second quarter of fiscal 2014. The retailer, which is facing a possible takeover battle, reported better-than-expected net earnings of $6.9 million, down 59% from $16.9 million in the year-ago period. The company also increased its annual profit forecast.

Another digital retailer has made the leap to the physical space. Online beauty subscription company Birchbox, famous for the pink boxes packed with sample products that it sends to subscribers each month, has opened its first brick-and-mortar store, in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.

The duplex-styled, 4,500-sq.-ft. space is bright and airy, with light woods and a white palette accented with pops of color.

A friend of mine is a devoted customer of a bath and body products shop in her local suburban town. There is nothing exclusive about the merchandise — most of the products can be bought online or at a number of other stores, often for a slightly lower price. My friend doesn’t care about any of that.

“They know me there by name, and they know what I like,” she told me. “They even email when new products come in that they think I would like. So what if it’s a little more expensive?

Wakefield, Mass. – In light of the recent announcement of the “Backoff” malware threatening the POS security of retailers, the PCI Council strongly encourages companies as a matter of urgency to consider the following recommendations:

1. Contact your provider of antivirus solutions and ensure you have the most recent and up to date version of antivirus software that will detect “Backoff” and other similar malware.

San Francisco – Icix, a provider of supply chain risk management technology, is expanding its Audit Manager suite. Audit Manager applications help companies automate and streamline their audit programs to provide more insight and verification of trading partners’ practices and facilities.

The Icix Audit Manager Suite now includes:

Chile is the top destination for emerging market retail expansion, followed by China, where retail sales totaled a whopping $3.7 trillion in 2013, according to the 2014 A.T. Kearney Global Retail Development Index.

With Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico also in the index of top emerging economies ready for retail expansion, Latin America continues to show strength as a regional retail growth market.

Indianapolis - Simon is launching Lookbook Live, a joint fall fashion program spanning print, digital, social media, and live events in collaboration with Glamour and GQ magazines. Kicking off in Glamour's and GQ's September issues with a nine-page custom-shot Simon Lookbook insert, the program extends online with significant presence on Glamour's and GQ's digital properties, including his-and-hers videos, which provide an in-depth look into how to wear fall's trends.

Fundamental changes in the way DSW serves its footwear customers in an omnichannel world will put significant pressure on profits during the second half of the year, according to president and CEO Mike MacDonald.

The leading retailer of branded footwear and accessories with 410 stores said sales for its second quarter increased 4.5% to $587 million and same store sales advanced 0.8% on top of a prior year increase of 4.4%. Profits increased to $34.3 million, or 38 cents a share, compared to prior year profits of $33.7 million, or 37 cents a share.