Amazon Buys Zappos For $850 Million

| Tim Parry

Amazon.com announced today that it would purchase online apparel and footwear merchant Zappos.com in a deal worth more that $850 million.

Smith & Hawken Facing Liquidation

| Tim Parry

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. has not found a buyer for its struggling Smith & Hawken division, and may be liquidating the high-end home and garden merchant by week’s end.

Sorting Out Warehouse Automation

| Curt Barry

Warehouse automation can be a good way to reduce labor and improve efficiency and overall accuracy while spending less money. The technology available for sorting units and packages to specific locations for packing and shipping offers several possibilities for multichannel retailers.

Paying the price for J. Jill

| MCM staff

When Talbots Bought J. Jill Three Years Ago, it was no secret that industry watchers felt the women’s apparel merchant had way overpaid. Financial experts

Notable deals of the past 12 months

| MCM staff

JUNE 2008 Provide Commerce acquired gifts cataloger Red Envelope in a bankruptcy auction. Staples acquired fellow office supplies distributor Corporate

Use Unique Codes to Bridge Channels

| Michael Greenberg

If I could click my heels together and give every merchant in the world one capability, it would be unique codes, used today primarily for coupons

Dress Barn Acquires Tween Brands

| Tim Parry

Woman’s clothing retailer Dress Barn has acquired Tween Brands in an all-stock deal worth $157 million. The merger deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter, and has been approved by both company

InfoGroup Merging Direct Media With Millard

| Tim Parry

List conglomerate InfoGroup said today it will merge list firms Direct Media and Millard Group into a single entity called Direct Media Millard on July 1.