Dick

Dick's Sporting Goods is factoring the potential of added sales from e-commerce into its brick-and-mortar expansion plans, even as it announces it was lowering its projections for how many stores it will eventually have. While the company now operates more than 600 stores, Dick's expects to max out at 750 stores by the end of 2017, less than the 800 stores the company originally forecast. Dick's leadership is pitching investors on the potential of new stores as a way to achieve more sales online.

L.L.Bean is No. 1 in online customer experience, according to the e-tailing group's 2013 Customer Experience Index, which is based on a mystery shopping study conducted during the fourth quarter of 2013. L.L.Bean received a top score of 88.75, followed by HSN at 87.25. Other retailers scoring higher than 80 included Office Depot, Overstock.com, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Sears, Abt, Target and Dick's Sporting Goods. The average score in 2013 was 71.06, up from 69.3 in 2012. Repeat winners from 2012 included Amazon and Office Depot.

Dick's Sporting Goods is leveraging omnichannel fulfillment. Over the past four years, the retailer has rolled out omnichannel capabilities, providing the ability to create online orders in stores, create an endless aisle experience for customers, and ship orders placed in-store for free. In addition, Dick's has utilized vendors to ship directly to customers for several years, improving inventory turn.

Dick's Sporting Goods plans to open its first Field & Stream branded store this August in Cranberry Township, Pa., as part of the company's ongoing strategy to drive growth with speciality store concepts. The company also recently opened its first True Runner speciality store in its hometown of Pittsburgh. Dick's acquired rights to operate retail stores under the 140-year-old Field & Stream brand in late 2012. When the company reported fourth-quarter results earlier this year, it indicated it would open two Field & Stream stores focused on outdoor categories and two True Runner locations in 2013.

Nordstrom is the nation's favorite fashion retail chain, according to an annual consumer study conducted by Market Force Information, a worldwide leader in customer intelligence solutions. The upscale department store edged out Kohl's, which had ranked first in the three previous studies. This year, Kohl's moved to the No. 2 spot overall, followed by Macy's, Dillard's and J.C. Penney.

PITTSBURGH — Dick's Sporting Goods has launched its first-ever winter coat trade-in event. From Oct. 21 through Oct. 27, customers can donate their gently-worn winter coats at their local Dick's store. Donated coats will then be distributed in the...