News Briefs

Two retailers capture more than half of consumer electronics spending.

Best Buy and Amazon accounted for 30% and 28% of overall sales in select consumer electronics categories in the past year, respectively, according to the Numerator Consumer Electronics Tracker, which provides quarterly insight into omnichannel consumer buying behavior in select electronics categories.

Gen X and millennial shoppers are the most likely to purchase electronics throughout the year. But across all consumers, November and December are the most popular months for electronics purchases, followed by July.

[READ MORE: Numerator: Most consumers say tariffs affect spending]

Other findings from the latest Numerator update are below:

• Computer monitors & peripherals were the tracked category with the highest increase in household penetration (38.4%) for the past update, while televisions and streaming devices saw the biggest decline in buy rate (down 11%).
• More than half (58%) of consumer electronics buyers said the price of their item was about what they anticipated ahead of purchasing, while 19% said it cost less than they anticipated.
• Consumers first became aware of the electronics item they purchased by seeing it on a retailer website (27%), getting a recommendation from friends or family (24%), or seeing it in person at a store (21%).

The longtime leader of NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) is stepping down.

NACS has named Frank Gleeson, former president and CEO of Aramark Northern Europe and 2018-2019 NACS chairman, as president and CEO, effective Jan. 2. He succeeds Henry Armour, who has served in the position since July 2005. Armour will provide support to Gleeson and continue to lead international activities at NACS for several years.

Most recently, Gleeson served as chairman of the National Oil Reserve Agency in Ireland. Prior to that, from 2014 to 2017, he was president and CEO of Aramark Northern Europe, where he oversaw a team of over 20,000 employees across 2,800-plus locations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

 Prior to Aramark, Gleeson was retail director at Topaz Energy Group, the largest importer, distributor and retailer of transportation fuel in Ireland with over 330 convenience stores and service stations, 60 distribution depots and four import terminals.

He also served as VP of retail at Statoil Ireland (now Equinor), where he led the development of the first American-style convenience store in Ireland. Most recently, he served as chairman of the National Oil Reserve Agency in Ireland.

Gleeson also has been extremely active in NACS and other trade associations. He previously served on the NACS International Board for 19 years and was on the NACS board for 11 years, including his term as 2018-19 NACS chairman.

DLC has added a new Sunbelt property to its management portfolio.

The owner-operator and third-party manager of open-air shopping centers has been awarded third-party management of Bell Tower Shops, a premier open-air lifestyle center located in Fort Myers, Fla. DLC will lead the property’s leasing and day-to-day operations as part of its growing third-party management portfolio.

The 365,000-sq.-ft. center features national tenants like Nordstrom Rack, The Fresh Market, Regal Theaters and Dave & Buster’s, and a thriving food scene with restaurants including Capital Grille, Tap 42, Blue Point Oyster Bar and Seafood and McGregor’s Public House. A Double Tree by Hilton hotel is also located on the property.

“Institutional partners continue to trust DLC to drive value through strategic leasing, thoughtful operations, and a tenant-focused approach,” said Adam Ifshin, founder and CEO of DLC. “We are excited to bring our vertically integrated platform to Bell Tower Shops and enhance what is already a vibrant, high-traffic destination in Fort Myers.”

Elmsford, N.Y.-based DLC says the addition of Bell Tower Shops reflects the company’s reputation for transforming retail centers through “hands-on leasing, merchandising and marketing strategies.”

[READ MORE: Renovo and NWS Architects: DLC’s open-fast solution for store buildouts]

“We know how to energize retail,” said Chris Ressa, chief operating officer of DLC. “We are excited to take our expertise and platform to another project in Fort Myers. We see potential to grow this center’s reach and add compelling new brands that will benefit the community.”

Copper Property CTL, a pass-through trust established to acquire 160 JCPenney stores and six distribution centers as part of the brand’s 2020 Chapter 11 filing, has found a buyer for 119 of them.

Copper Property has made a purchase and sale agreement with an unnamed affiliate of Onyx Partners, a Needham, Mass., investment collaboration firm, to purchase all 119 properties for $947 million in cash.

The transaction is the culmination of an extensive marketing process executed by the global real estate services firm Newmark. The properties are subject to a long-term, triple-net master lease with Penney Intermediate Holdings LLC.

"This transaction is the culmination of an extensive marketing process run by Newmark," Copper Property said in a statement. "The properties are subject to a long-term triple-net master lease with Penney Intermediate Holdings LLC or affiliates thereof. The buyer has now completed its due diligence, and its deposit under the agreement is non-refundable."

The average store size of the store portfolio is 132,000 sq. ft. on an average tract of 8.36 acres, according to Newmark.

The trust was formed for the sole purpose of owning, leasing and selling the JCPenney properties as promptly as possible. It is externally managed by an affiliate of Hilco Real Estate LLC. 

A home improvement retailer is using automated robots to help ensure its shelves are filled with the right products.

HomeBase USA has rolled out the Simbe Store Intelligence platform and autonomous shelf-scanning robot Tally to two store locations in Copperas Cove, Texas and Laramie, Wyo. The Laramie store introduction marks the first Tally deployment in the state of Wyoming.

HomeBase stores feature expansive footprints and tens of thousands of SKUs across the categories of lumber, building supply, hardware, farm, ranch, and lawn & garden. The retailer finds keeping shelves stocked with the right items, in the right place, at the right price across fixtures like hooks, bins, top stock, and bulk to be a complex task.

Utilizing the Tally robot, HomeBase captures real-time, shelf-level data on product availability, pricing, and placement it supplies to store associates to help them act faster and with greater accuracy. The retailer reports results including fewer out-of-stocks, more efficient labor, and a more streamlined, satisfying customer experience.

[READ MORE: Country Supplier rolls out autonomous robots in stores]

"Getting inventory right is fundamental to our business, and with Tally, we’re equipping our teams with the insights they need to succeed," said Mark Dremel, district manager at HomeBase. "This pilot is an exciting step toward improving both operational performance and the in-store experience, and we’re eager to see Tally’s impact as we look to scale."

Originally established in 1917 as Sutherlands in Durant, Okla., the family-owned business evolved to launch the first HomeBase location in Copperas Cove, Texas, in 2017. Today, HomeBase operates nine stores across five states.

Edible Arrangements has launched a new curated gifting platform.

The brand, known for its fresh fruit arrangements, has partnered with Goody, a tech-forward gifting platform, to expand the reach of its gifting marketplace on Edible.com. Powered by Goody's Commerce API and its catalog of premium brands, the new platform features a wide selection of non-perishable, third-party gifts designed to complement Edible's current products.

In addition to Edible's signature same-day gifting options, customers can now choose from a curated assortment of food-adjacent items that pair with Edible's core offerings. The e-commerce integration brings brands like Carbone, Ghia, Homesick Candles and more to Edible's online marketplace. Each gift includes a personalized digital card delivered instantly.

"Our new marketplace expands our offering, especially among customers in places without Edible storefronts," said Somia Farid Silber, CEO of Edible Brands, who took the reins of the company last fall. "By further expanding into non-perishables and modern fulfillment models, we're removing the limitations of geography and inventory, while staying true to the emotional impact that defines our brand."

By launching third-party fulfillment, Edible says it can move faster and meet customer demand more effectively, without adding complexity to local operations.

"We see this as a natural collision of purpose and capability," said Katy Carrigan, CEO at Goody. "Edible has built trust with millions of households, and Goody has built a curated gift catalog and the backend to integrate into their marketplace at scale. Together, we're creating a more seamless and personal way to send something thoughtful."

[READ MORE: Edible Brands names new chief stores officer]

Atlanta-based Edible Brands is the parent company of Edible Arrangements, Edible.com, Edibles.com and Roti Modern Mediterranean.