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Liz Clairborne to Shutter Outlet Stores and Sell through QVC and JCPenny Instead

In a press release issuedd this week, William L. McComb, Chief Executive Officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., said: “With the launches of the Liz Claiborne brand at JCPenney and Liz Claiborne New York at QVC — both next month — we’re announcing … that we will be exiting our 87 Liz Claiborne branded outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, the majority of which will be exited in the coming months.”  The Baltimore Sun Jul. 21, 2010  Liz Clairborne Press Release Jul. 20, 2010

Tags: JCPenny, Liz Clairborne, QVC

HSN to Open Outlet Store in its West Tampa, Fla., Backyard

HSN will open an outlet store at 8515 W. Hillsborough Ave., in Buccaneer Square Shopping Center in October, bringing the retailer’s total number of Florida outlets to four.  (HSN also operates stores in Largo, Brandon and Orlando.)  News about the planned 17,273-square-feet originally comes from a press release issued by real estate firm Colliers International Tampa Bay Florida.  The Tampa Tribune Jul. 14, 2010

Tags: HSN Outlet Store

Department Stores Post Strongest June Sales Since 2003

Same store sales at department stores posted a gain of 5.8 percent in June over the prior-year period, beating analyst estimates of 5.1 percent, according to Thomson Reuters.  Total retail sales in June were up 3.1 percent compared with June 2009, slightly lower than estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters.  One analyst described the total retail number as “lackluster at best,” and the report suggests that consumers at both the high and low ends of the retail spectrum were still skittish about spending.  Sales at discount stores were either up only slightly or flat, while sales at luxury stores declined 3.9 percent in June compared with last year.

“The government also indicated that many consumers were holding back. Outstanding consumer credit in May declined for the fourth consecutive month, falling by $9.1 billion, or 4.5 percent, the Federal Reserve said on Thursday. That was much sharper than the $2.3 billion decrease economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected.”  The New York Times Jun. 9, 2010

Tags: department store, June retail sales

Eat Pray Love Product Tie-Ins Extend Way Beyond HSN…

Women shop at plenty of places besides the Tampa, Florida-based shopping network, so it makes sense that brick-and-mortar retailers are looking to horn in on a little of the Julia Roberts, chick-flick product tie-in action this summer.  Eat Pray Love-inspired fashions and jewelry will be on offer in Los Angeles area boutiques and department stores like Dillards, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Sakes Fifth Avenue, too.  One designer, set to capitalize on the movie is Sue Wong, whose “Eat Pray Love by Sue Wong” collection will hit the shelves in high-end department stores in August.  She told a reporter, “Because of the immediate connection I felt to the story, as well as its emphasis on the culture, philosophy, and, in particular, alluring mystique of the East, I was able to create a collection that was striking, exotic, and timeless, and organic to the journey in the book and forthcoming film.”

As for jewelry, Dogeared is creating a line inspired by the movie that will include beaded necklaces in earth tones and bohemian bracelets. Their “Eat Pray Love” collection will be sold by ABC Home and Fred Segal in Los Angeles.  All Headline News Jul. 6, 2010

Tags: Dogeared, Eat Pray Love, product tie-in, promotion, Sue Wong

Beauty Sales Migrating to DRTV and Other Alternative Channels

Women are increasingly passing up the cosmetics counters at department stores, shopping for their beauty products on TV and in specialty stores like those operated by Sephora USA Inc. and Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. The new predilection, in fact, is part of the reason why HSN and QVC reported such strong first quarters, and also why department store sales fell 9.3% between May 2007 and May 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.  What’s more, these alternative distribution channels for cosmetics are cross-pollinating.  The Perricone MD and Philosophy skin care lines initially made their names on QVC, then expanded their distribution into Ulta and Sephora stores, and finally opened up their own retail locations.  The Deal Jun. 24, 2010

Tags: department stores, HSN, QVC, Sephora, Ulta Salon

Brick-and-Mortar Retailers are Doubling Down on Online Sales

It’s not just the DRTV retailers for whom web sales are growing faster than their primary sales channel.  Brick-and-mortar retailers, who for years outsourced their web  sales to fulfillment houses, are placing new emphasis there, the better to compete with Amazon.com.  Macy’s, for example, has invested in new checkout stations that enable clerks to place orders for consumers on the spot, in the event that a desired item is out of stock in a particular store.  The penetration of web sales is generally lower at store retailers, compared to the DRTV networks, but they’re paying closer attention to it.  And it’s growing.  The Los Angeles Times Jun. 18, 2010

Tags: Macy's

Accessories King Steve Russo Signs Licensing Pact with Carlos Falci

In a seemingly odd match, Steve Russo — whose New York-based company imports and sells Hello Kitty- and Hannah Montana-emblazoned back-to-school gear — has signed a five-year licensing agreement with handbag designer Carlos Falci, one of whose distribution channels is electronic retail on HSN.  “Sources said the agreement is a cornerstone for Russo’s plan to build a New York-based empire in luxury handbags.”  The New York Post  May 25, 2010

Tags: Carlos Falci, HSN, Steve Russo

QVC Opens 9,000 Square Foot Outlet Store in Myrtle Beach

The QVC Outlet Store at Tanger Outlet Center on U.S. 501 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, opened last month and stocks SKUs in fashion, shoes, jewelry, accessories, cookware, home decor and electronics.  “Additional QVC outlet stores are located in Lancaster and Frazer, Pa., and Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Del.”  The Sun News/MyrtleBeachOnline May 11, 2010

Tags: Myrtle Beach, QVC Outlet Store

Former HSN Exec William Lynch Named CEO of Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble Names William Lynch CEO Trading Markets (press release) Lynch came to Barnes & Noble from HSNi, where he was Executive VP of Marketing and General Manager of HSN.com. From 2004 to 2008, he was CEO of gifts.com, ... and more » Tags: Barnes & Noble, HSN Inc., William Lynch

U.S. Same-Store Sales Rose 0.5% Last Week

That report of a week-over-week sales gain comes from the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs, which today released seasonally adjusted data on U.S. chain store retail sales. The ICSC expects same-store sales for the full month of July to be down by 5.5% from the prior year.  Reuters July 21, 2009

Tags: same store sales