Retail Stores

RadioShack has entered the smartphone and tablet repair business. The Fort Worth-based retailer thinks it can increase traffic to its stores by becoming the first national chain to provide in-store, same-day service on popular mobile devices. Some repairs will be done in an hour or even while a customer waits. "Fix It Here!" stations have been added to more than 284 company and franchise stores as part of a pilot program. Results are encouraging enough to expand it to 700 stores by year-end, said CEO Joe Magnacca.

At Urban Outfitters’ new Manhattan store, you can try on a sweater, sip on a latte and get you hair styled — all without stepping outside its walls. The specialty retailer, known for its eclectic apparel and novelty items, on Saturday opened a 57,000-square-foot store in New York City, complete with a hair salon, coffee bar and record shop. It's the latest example of the shifting retail environment, in which malls and brick-and-mortar stores are looking to reinvent themselves to ramp up foot traffic, which has taken a dive since the advent on online shopping.

A gun reform group on Wednesday called on discount retail chain Target to ban the open carrying of firearms in its stores. The petition from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America follows demonstrations by a pro-gun group bringing long guns into Target stores. Following the petition, Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder wrote in an email, "The safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority. Target doesn't sell firearms or ammunition and is committed to following all state and federal laws. However, I don't have any specific information to share regarding this organization."

Chinese investment firm Sailing Capital and Chinese conglomerate Sanpower could have a new American asset after a bankruptcy auction on Monday: retail chain Brookstone, for which they will pay more than $173 million, subject to court approval. The sale will be central to Brookstone's plan to emerge from bankruptcy, after filing for Chapter 11 protection in April. So who are these two Chinese buyers? But more important than the question of who are the Chinese buyers: What is Brookstone? The store sells a variety of things that can be difficult to lump together in a coherent category. 

Consumers are demanding more consistent brand experiences, and retailers are being challenged to provide personalized experiences across multiple touchpoints — e.g., web, email, mobile, social and offline. So what does personalization look like across these multiple touchpoints, and how can retailers use these techniques to generate return on investment? Let's take a closer look at personalization in action.

For the past few years, brick-and-mortar retailers didn't have a fighting chance to compete with the personalization and convenience provided by online shopping. By cultivating mountains of rich customer data, online retailers had the upper hand. Every action and inaction, from what visitors clicked on and how much time they spent looking at certain products to their social activity and response to email programs, helped online retailers tailor each email, pop-up or recommended product to drive sales and provide a superior experience.

Go big or go home seems to be the theme of Michael Kors’ retail expansion plan. Between opening more freestanding stores and shops-in-shop and launching a new e-commerce website, Kors has big plans for his brand throughout the next year or so. According to WWD, the company plans to open 45 stores in North America in fiscal 2015, as well as 10 in Japan. John D. Idol, the chairman and CEO of Michael Kors, said the brand also plans to open more retail stores in various airports. 

Apple is in talks with several high-profile retail store chains about a mobile payment service, reports 9to5Mac. Citing a source with knowledge of the discussions, the site suggests Apple is speaking with retail store brands that sell luxury clothing and premium goods to gauge interest in such a service. An Apple-branded mobile payment solution would likely be integrated directly into iOS devices, allowing people to use their iPhones or other devices to make purchases for physical goods both on the web as well as in-store. 

Express will close about 50 of its more than 600 stores as part of an effort to rebound from a poor first-quarter earnings report. The Columbus-based fashion retailer reported net income of $5.1 million, or 6 cents per share, for the first quarter, down from $32.4 million, or 38 cents per share, during the same time last year. Wall Street analysts had expected the retailer to report earnings of 14 cents per share. The news sent Express’ stock price down by more than 9 percent in after-hours trading.

In the face of its late re-emergence into the world of mobility, and the real and rapid decline in its mainstay — new personal computer sales — you can't blame analysts for wondering about Microsoft's future prospects. After all, the company is still working to ply users’ fingers away from its now unsupported, going-on 13-year-old operating system (OS) Windows XP, even as its most recent offering, Windows 8.1 has received a lukewarm reception in the marketplace.