From the Chicago Sun-Times | Rockford-based FatWallet.com, an online partner of Amazon.com and Overstock.com, is leaving Illinois for Wisconsin after losing business ties with major online retailers since Gov. Quinn signed of the “Amazon.com tax” earlier this month. Get the full story>>
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Macy’s renovating Water Tower Place store
Macy's store at Water Tower Place (Alex Garcia/Tribune file)
Macy’s is undertaking a multimillion-dollar renovation of its Water Tower Place store in a move to bring new life to the Magnificent Mile outpost.
The department store chain is concentrating its efforts on the first three floors, where it generates most of its business. Cosmetics, women’s accessories, shoes and intimate apparel account for 36 percent of total revenue at Macy’s Inc. nationwide, according to the company’s annual report filed this week.
The last time the eight-level, 227,000-square-foot store had a makeover was in 1996 when it was a Marshall Field’s. Get the full story »
Abercrombie retreats on push-up bikini for girls
Abercrombie's Ashley padded bikini top. (Abercrombie)
Abercrombie & Fitch retreated on marketing a push-up bikini top to girls as young as age 7 after a rash of criticism from parents and bloggers.
The clothing retailer changed the online description of the bikini tops at its Abercrombie Kids website from “push up triangle” to “lightly lined triangle.”
The company also posted a statement on its Abercrombie Kids Facebook page saying, “We agree with those who say it is best ‘suited’ for girls age 12 and older.” Get the full story »
Credit Suisse sees strong 2012 for Walgreen Co.
A Credit Suisse analyst upgraded shares of Walgreen Co. on Tuesday, saying the drugstore chain should have a strong year in 2012. Get the full story »
Wal-Mart gets sympathetic bias case hearing
Activists rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, March 29, 2011. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Wal-Mart got a sympathetic hearing from several Supreme Court justices Tuesday as the retailer sought to prevent female employees from bringing the largest class-action sex-discrimination lawsuit in history.
The justices sharply questioned whether more than a million female employees can join together against Wal-Mart Stores Inc, accused of paying women less and giving them fewer promotions. Get the full story »
Radio Shack to start selling hot iPad 2
(Christof Stache/AFP/Getty Images)
RadioShack Corp. said it will start selling the iPad 2 beginning Tuesday at 500 locations, marking the latest retailer to offer Apple Inc.’s hottest device.
RadioShack joins retailers that have been selling the device since its release more than two weeks ago. Best Buy Co., Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as well as Verizon Wireless and AT&T outlets sell the second-generation iPad, which continues to face inventory shortages. Get the full story »
Harry & David preparing to file for Chapter 11
Harry & David Holdings Inc., the mail-order food company known for its fruit baskets and Moose Munch snacks, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. Get the full story »
Borders seeks to pay $8M in executive bonuses
Book retailer Borders Group Inc., which is shuttering hundreds of stores in a bid to stay alive, is seeking bankruptcy court approval to hand out more than $8 million in executive bonuses, including nearly $1.7 million to President Mike Edwards. Get the full story »
Liquidation sales begin at 26 new Borders stores
A Borders bookstore at North and Halsted in Chicago in February. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Liquidation sales have begun at 26 Borders stores in 14 states that are slated to close in late May, including an outlet in Wilmette.
Similar sales are already under way at the 200 Borders stores that are scheduled to close by the end of April, as the troubled bookstore chain reorganizes under Chapter 11 protection. Get the full story »
Walgreens to buy Drugstore.com for $400M
Customers at a Walgreens in Vernon Hills, Ill. (Lane Christiansen/Chicago Tribune)
Expanding further into the fast-growing business of online retail, Walgreen Co. said Thursday it will buy Drugstore.com for more than $400 million.
The deal comes just weeks after the Deerfield-based drugstore giant said it would shed its pharmacy benefit management business for more than $500 million. That deal, Walgreens said, would help it better focus on its primary business of serving customers’ daily health and living needs. Get the full story »
Store-brand food seen eating up market share
Safeway Select cookies at a Dominick's. (Terry Harris/Tribune)
Grocery retailers’ store-brand products are expected to double their share of the global packaged food market over the next 15 years to make up half the market, according to a report issued on Thursday.
The report by Sebastiaan Schreijen, associate director of processed food and retail at Rabobank, said growth of private-label brands will be fueled by retail consolidation in developed markets, adoption of modern retail in developing markets, and increased consumer acceptance of private-label brands following the recession, among other factors.
March 23 at 1:17 p.m.
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Filed under: Cell phones, Internet, Retail, Technology, Telecommunications Amazon Appstore debut still lacks free test feature
A key feature of Amazon.com’s Appstore for Android was unavailable Wednesday, a day after the e-commerce giant launched its store to much fanfare. But other parts of Amazon’s venture were more successful, and early tests underscored the positives and negatives of the retailer’s approach. Get the full story »
