“The department store chain reported that net income fell by 113% for a loss of $348 million. The company also reported a 16.6% decline in same store sales [...] an improvement from the 32% decrease the company reported last quarter. Only time will tell, but it’s possible the ugliest days for JC Penney are over.” [Source: Quartz]

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“The man destroyed the $423,000 Maserati Quattroporte in protest of the allegedly shoddy and criminal service he received at the hands of his dealership. [...] ‘I hope foreign luxury car producers acknowledge clearly that Chinese consumers are entitled to get the service that is commensurate with the brand,’ Wang told The Qingdao Morning Post.” Watch the video at ChristianPost.com. [Source: Christian Post]

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“Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly advanced in April, helping ease concern of a sustained pullback in consumer spending that would stifle the economy. The 0.1 percent gain followed a 0.5 percent decrease in March, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. Retail purchases climbed by the most in four months minus receipts from service stations, where cheaper gasoline prices depressed the dollar value of sales.” [Source: Bloomberg]

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“Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon says customer service will be ‘the next major battlefield for all luxury manufacturers’ and will be Cannon’s main priority over the next five years. ‘That is going to be my legacy,’ he said. Cannon said products from luxury-car makers ‘keep getting better, and the game is going to be fought and won with customer experience.’ ” [Source: Automotive News]

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“It’s rare to find a leader who elevates the experience for employees and customers to such a degree that other brands benchmark against his or her company. [...] Every action [Virgin Group founder Sir Richard] Branson takes and every word he speaks—whether the cameras are on or off—reflect his commitment to creating an exceptional experience for both his customers and employees. Here are 7 lessons that any leader can and should adopt if they hope to build a successful company.” [Source: Forbes]

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Quidsi, the Amazon-owned parent company to a collection of single word e-commerce domains including Diapers.com, Soap.com, Wag.com, Yoyo.com, and more, is today launching a new membership program called Familyhood Plus. The program offers consumers free two-day shipping with no minimum purchases, and other exclusive deals. [Source: TechCrunch]

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“The Senate passed a bill Monday night aimed at making it easier for states to collect sales taxes for online purchases, but its final prospects remain uncertain. [...] The bill, which passed the Senate 69-27, now heads to the House, where it faces an uncertain future because some Republicans view it as a tax increase. President Obama has said he supports the bill.” [Source: USA Today]

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“Same-day delivery, if executed correctly, can provide expansive options for consumers and brands hoping to grow their business. While critics may see same day delivery as a downfall for smaller retailers, it can potentially offer competitive advantage for businesses of all sizes.” [Source: Wired.com]

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“According to RetailNetGroup, AmazonFresh, the online giant’s grocery business that’s been tested in the Seattle market since 2007, isn’t about “competing with a small market with razor-thin margins and a checkered history.” It’s all about helping Amazon.com attain the scale to support its ambition to build a national same-day delivery shipping model. [...] Amazon views steady grocery delivery as a “powerful way to drive frequent customer interaction,” and opens up avenues to entice consumers to shop for other products with each order. [Source: Forbes]

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“Walmart.com is introducing a new home page, and says it will begin testing in-store delivery lockers later this year, to make it easier for shoppers to use its popular “ship to store” option. [...] That reflects a shift in the retailer’s thinking over the last two years, Neil Ashe, Walmart’s EVP, as well as CEO of its global ecommerce division, says. There used to be conversations about channels — are we omnichannel? Are we multichannel? Are we metachannel? And those are exactly the wrong questions, because that’s looking at the world from our perspective, not the customer. We need to look at things from her eyes. Are we satisfying her when, where and how she likes to be served?” [Source: MediaPost]

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