Retail Stores

A greeting card company targeted to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is open for business in Las Vegas. The company, Teazled, saw a void while looking for greeting cards to celebrate holidays.

Blockbuster is finally trying to lure back the millions of customers it's lost over the years by asking shoppers to give it another chance. First on the list to sway consumers is pricing. Blockbuser says it's reduced its in-store DVD rental prices by as much as 38 percent. It then compares this to other companies, which have raised prices by as much as 60 percent (a clear jab at Netflix).

Shopatron has completed its 2011 Retailer eCommerce Study and the results show that retail-integrated e-commerce is boosting sales for both brands and retailers. The survey, answered by almost 1,000 Shopatron retail partners, gives insight into how e-commerce influences a consumer brands’ online and in-store sales. And with over 90 percent of most brands’ sales happening in retail stores, branded manufacturers considering direct-to-consumer e-commerce should take heed.

Spending a day at the zoo is a favorite pastime for most families, and many travel great distances to experience the animal wonders of the world. Families can now enjoy a similar experience closer to home with the new PETCO ZOO kicking off during PETCO's monthly "Meet the Critters" event Aug. 6 - 7, at PETCO stores across the nation.

Cabela's reported that net income for second quarter rose to $22.3 million, from $19.4 million in the year-ago quarter. Total revenue increased 7.7 percent to $562.1 million. Same-store sales increased 4.4 percent.

OfficeMax reported that it swung to a loss of $3.02 million in the quarter ended June 25, compared with net income of $11.8 million in the year-ago period. Total sales dipped 0.3 percent to $1.648 billion from $1.653 billion, but beat Wall Street expectations of $1.63 billion. 

Coach reported that net income for the fourth quarter rose 4 percent to $202.5 million, compared with $195.5 million in the year-ago period. Revenue surged 9 percent to $1.03 billion, edging Wall Street estimates.

A different type of flash mob — the criminal kind — has been wreaking havoc on retailers from coast to coast. In these cases, groups of people meet up through social media or other communication channels and enter stores to disorient associates, ransack shelves, and often leave behind a path of violence.

Ross Dress for Less, the off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, will enter the greater Chicago area with the opening of 12 locations on Saturday, Oct. 8th.

It’s no secret that U.S. retail sales collapsed in 2008 and 2009 because of the recession. But several of the largest retailers consistently performed poorly between 2005 and 2010 for reasons that go beyond the recession.