Retail Stores

Beauty care company Estée Lauder is using digital technologies to enhance the customer experience at various points of sale, including iPads for consumer use. Estée Lauder is "the first cosmetics brand to put iPads at selected store counters," said Fabrizio Freda, the company's president and CEO.

Despite record-breaking winter storms that turned a trip to the mall into an adventure travel expedition, Limited Brands and Zumiez achieved double-digit same-store sales increases of 24 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively.

While the 2011 economic forecast may be looking sunnier, Mother Nature must have missed the memo. So much of the country has been blanketed in snow and ice the last several weeks, and nasty weather can have an interesting effect on retailers big and small, online and brick-and-mortar.

Bebe Stores reported a loss for its second quarter as bad weather cut into sales and closed some stores. The clothing company posted a loss of $2.7 million for the quarter compared with a profit of $2.4 million in the same period last year. Revenue fell 2 percent to $132.7 million for the period that ended Jan. 1.

Bernadette Clark used to visit Wal-Mart twice a week. Now it's twice a month. She got fed up last year when Wal-Mart stopped stocking some of her favorite brands and she couldn't count on low prices.

In a big post-Christmas surprise, January same-store sales were stronger than many retail analysts expected. Blizzards in the Northeast, which pummeled the area and even closed some stores, were expected to cause sour sales. Not so.

Gap has reported that fiscal fourth-quarter sales climbed 3 percent, exceeding Wall Street's expectations and leading the casual apparel retailer to raise its fiscal-year earnings guidance.

Procter & Gamble and Target have paired up to offer customers savings on a number of products designed to help them keep those fitness resolutions. From Feb. 6 through March 16, Target guests can find in-store coupons on specially marked Tide Plus Febreze Freshness Sport, Febreze Extreme SPORT Odor Eliminator and C9 by Champion, Target's exclusive active wear line.

New York City residents spent nearly $200 million at about a dozen Wal-Mart stores in the New York metropolitan area in 2010, up about 20 percent from the amount reported in a previous 12-month period, the company said. Although it doesn't have any stores in New York City, the chain is determined to break into the market and is working to overcome opposition from labor, community and small business groups. An ad campaign being launched in three dozen community newspapers blames "special interests" for keeping it out.

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and retailers are hoping consumers are using the old "How much does he love me? Let me count the ways" saying as motivation for earning brownie points with their loved one by purchasing Valentine's Day gifts this year.