March 11 at 5:34 a.m.
Filed under:
Internet,
Retail,
Taxes
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
Amazon.com took action in Illinois, as it had threatened to do, to counter a new law aimed at forcing online retailers to collect sales taxes in the state. Hawaii, North Carolina and Rhode Island have enacted similar laws, and California is weighing action. Amazon is also in a court battle with New York over such legislation.
The Illinois law, signed by Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday, requires online retailers that work with affiliates in the state to collect sales taxes on purchases made by Illinois residents and businesses. Amazon responded to the measure by cutting ties to its Illinois-based affiliates, which are blogs and other Web sites that refer traffic to Amazon and get paid commissions if customers make purchases there. Get the full story »
March 10 at 5:19 p.m.
Filed under:
Earnings,
Retail
By Dow Jones Newswires
Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc.’s fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped 49 percent, and core results topped its upbeat expectations amid continued strength in same-store sales.
Shares edged up 0.9 percent, to $42.50, after hours as the company also forecast current-quarter earnings of 29 to 31 cents a share, topping the 27-cent average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. The company predicted sales of $364 million to $370 million, compared to analysts’ $371 million. Get the full story »
March 10 at 12:49 p.m.
Filed under:
Retail
By Reuters
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding a program that lets shoppers pick out items online and pick them up in its stores across the United States as it tries to bring people to its stores more often following several quarters of disappointing sales. Get the full story »
March 9 at 2:45 p.m.
Filed under:
Investigations,
Litigation,
Retail
By Reuters
Dov Charney. (Reuters)
American Apparel founder and chief executive Dov Charney is being sued for $250 million by a woman who said he treated her as a sex slave when she was a teenage sales employee at the clothing chain.
Irene Morales of Brooklyn, New York, has accused Charney, 42, of sexual harassment, creating a hostile workplace, gender discrimination and retaliation.
American Apparel and directors at the company have also been named as defendants in the lawsuit, filed in a New York state court on Friday. Morales accused them of failing to protect her, and said they knew or should have known that Charney was a “sexual predator.” Get the full story »
March 9 at 12:56 p.m.
Filed under:
Real estate,
Retail,
Updated
By Alejandra Cancino
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to open its first Walmart Express store on Chicago’s South Side.
The 10,000-square-foot store is set to open this summer in the Chatham Market on 83rd Street, said a source familiar with the plans. Get the full story »
Crain’s Chicago Business | Milwaukee-based supermarket chain Roundy’s has signed deals to bring three of its upscale Mariano’s stores to Chicago. They will be in the West Loop, Uptown and Palatine. The Palatine outlet is scheduled to open next year.
March 9 at 7:19 a.m.
Filed under:
M&A,
Pharmaceuticals,
Retail
By Bruce Japsen
A Walgreens on Michigan Avenue. (Bonnie Trafelet/Chicago Tribune)
Walgreen Co. said Wednesday it will sell its pharmacy benefit management business, which increasingly has conflicted with the drugstore giant’s push to get consumers to fill their prescriptions at the pharmacy counter.
The Deerfield-based company will sell Walgreens Health Initiatives for $525 million in cash to Catalyst Health Solutions Inc. of Rockville, Md. The deal is expected to close in June. Get the full story »
March 8 at 2:58 p.m.
Filed under:
Retail
By CNN
Shoppers at a Target on Elston Ave. in December. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune)
Wal-Mart’s slogan may be “Save Money. Live Better,” but rival Target is challenging it by offering even lower prices on everyday products.
Two recent price comparisons of grocery and household goods revealed that Target’s prices are lower than at No. 1 retailer Wal-Mart.
Craig Johnson, president of retail consulting firm Customer Growth Partners, compared 35 brand-name items sold at Wal-Mart and Target stores in New York, Indiana and North Carolina. They consisted of 22 common grocery goods such as milk, cereal and rice; 10 general merchandise products such as clothing and home furnishings; and three health and beauty items. Get the full story »
March 8 at 1:23 p.m.
Filed under:
Fashion,
Litigation,
Retail
By Dow Jones Newswires
Skechers USA Inc. Tuesday said it filed a lawsuit against Sears Holdings Corp., alleging the retailer sells footwear that infringes some of the shoe company’s products.
The footwear design and marketing firm alleged Sears sells products at its namesake and Kmart retail stores that infringe Sketcher’s Shape-ups, Twinkle Toes and Z-Strap product lines. Skechers is the market leader in the toning segment — shoes that promise to burn calories and firm muscles. Get the full story »
March 8 at 10:20 a.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Retail
By Tribune staff report
A screenshot of Groupon's "American Idol" ad. (CNET)
Chicago-based daily deal site Groupon is going after buyers willing to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on travel and luxury goods, Bloomberg News reports. Groupon’s rival, Washington, D.C.-based LivingSocial, has already moved into the upscale offer arena — last month, it offered a $10,000 coupon for a penthouse-suite package at the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco.
By moving into pricier deals, the sites are trying to reach a broader demographic, Bloomberg writes. Groupon alone has more than 60 million subscribers in 42 countries, with ages ranging from 25 to 50, and many living in the suburbs. Get the full story »
March 4 at 5:17 p.m.
Filed under:
Earnings,
Retail
By Dow Jones Newswires
Toys “R” Us Inc.’s fiscal fourth-quarter profit slid 15 percent due to a higher income-tax expense, which offset the toy retailer’s improved sales and margins.
On Friday, Chairman and Chief Executive Jerry Storch said the company has made investments throughout the year to drive growth, including the expansion of the e-commerce business internationally and increased levels of service in the company’s stores. Get the full story »
March 3 at 5:27 p.m.
Filed under:
Internet,
Retail,
Updated
By Sandra M. Jones
Sears Holdings Corp. on Thursday invited sales affiliates worried about losing Amazon business to direct their online traffic to Sears.com. The Hoffman Estates-based company joins a growing chorus of other retailers looking to cash in on Amazon’s battle with state governments over collecting sales tax.
In an open letter written Thursday, Sears eCommerce President Imran Jooma said he wanted affiliates “around the country to know that you have a place with us.”
Amazon.com, the world’s largest online retailer, relies on a fleet of deal sites and other online portals to direct customers to Amazon.com. The affiliate websites typically send potential customers to Amazon’s website in exchange for a cut of sales. Get the full story »
March 3 at 10:38 a.m.
Filed under:
Retail
By Reuters
A shopper outside of Tiffany & Co. on Chicago's Michigan Avenue. (David Pierini/Chicago Tribune)
Top U.S. retailers posted stronger-than-expected sales gains for February, a show of strength that could dissipate in March as a late Easter and rising gasoline prices take their toll.
The chains reported a rise of 4.2 percent in sales at stores open at least a year, according to Thomson Reuters data. Analysts had expected the Thomson Reuters index of 25 retailers to show a 3.6 percent rise in same-store sales last month.
The results confirmed consumer confidence data showing that the U.S. economy is on better footing despite the spike in gas prices. Get the full story »
March 3 at 8:04 a.m.
Filed under:
M&A,
Pharmaceuticals,
Retail
By Bruce Japsen
Deerfield-based pharmacy giant Walgreen Co. said last month’s sales were up nearly 8 percent, boosted by its acquisition of the large Duane Reade pharmacy chain in New York. Get the full story »
March 3 at 5:35 a.m.
Filed under:
Retail
By Sandra M. Jones
Colorlab Custom Cosmetics, a Rockford-based makeup manufacturer, is moving into Sears as the department store chain expands its beauty business and looks for tenants. Get the full story »
