China’s Alibaba plans US online shop

China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba is launching its first online marketplace in the US, 11Main.com, as it looks to expand its operations outside China.

AL11-750

The move comes ahead of Alibaba’s share sale in the US, widely expected to one of the biggest by a technology firm. Alibaba is China’s biggest online retailer, and the total value of goods sold on its platforms last year exceeded that on Amazon and eBay combined. The portal 11Main.com will initially be open to customers by invitation only.

“We want the shops to represent the diversity of Main Street. Some shops are high-end boutiques and some are more vintage,” said Mike Effle, president and general manager of 11 Main.

The site is being launched by Auctiva and Vendio, two of Alibaba’s subsidiary companies acquired a few years ago.

If you would like to receive our daily newsflash email, please enter your email address in the “sign-up” box at the top of the page; you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook and request a print subscription here.

Midco Toys celebrates Burton market re-opening

Customers can meet their favourite characters, make a loom bracelet and get 10% off any purchase at Midco Toys stores.

Midco-750

There will also be free gifts handed out during the day. The store will be open from 9:00am until 5:30pm, with character visits starting from 10:00am. The 10% discount applies to all products in store. Customers can also pick up the brand new (and free) Midco Toymaster Loyalty Card, and collect stamps as they spend – when the card is full it becomes a voucher for free toys.

Characters attending will include Darth Vader, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Freya the Chocolate Rabbit from the Sylvanian Families, and Toby Toymaster. They will all be available to meet children (and big children) to say hello and take a photo. As Darth Vader said: “We would be honoured if you would join us.”

Rainbow Loom classes will be running during the day, allowing children to learn how to make bracelets with the hit toy or show off their looming skills. If children have a loom at home they should bring it along to use!

Events co-ordinator Graham Hancock said: “We have run a number of events so far this year but this is the biggest yet – having so many characters on one day is going to be awesome.”

If you would like to receive our daily newsflash email, please enter your email address in the “sign-up” box at the top of the page; you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook and request a print subscription here.

Toys R Us openings announced

Toys R Us has opened a store at the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, and will open another on Liverpool ONE’s Upper South John Street.

Toys-R-Us750

Toys R Us has reported that it is to open its doors at Liverpool ONE’s Upper South John Street. The news comes as the two-level Liverpool shopping centre saw a strong performance with sales year-to-date climbing by 5.7%. The new 13,000 square feet store is expect to open later this month at the unit formerly occupied by the UK clothing retailer Republic, which went under administration last year.

The brand in Sheffield’s Meadowhall centre is located on the centre’s Lower Arcade, and the new store recently welcomed thousands of shoppers into the store to meet its mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe. Meadowhall’s retail director, Mark Bruce, said: “Toys R Us is a great addition to our shopping centre and news of its arrival has been extremely well received by our shoppers; it is the latest in a line of new brands which reflects our family audience”

If you would like to receive our daily newsflash email, please enter your email address in the “sign-up” box at the top of the page; you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook and request a print subscription here.

Amazon.com pulls Warner Bros movies

The online retailer has pulled pre-orders for forthcoming Warner Home Video features, including The Lego Movie, 300: Rise of an Empire, Winter’s Tale and Transcendence.

Amazon-results-750

The move comes as Amazon continues to delay shipments and refuse pre-orders for some titles from Hachette, publisher of Harry Potter author JK Rowling, and home to David Baldacci, Stephen Colbert, David Foster Wallace and others. The retailer is also in another standoff in Germany with the Bonnier Media Group.

The details of the dispute are not public. Amazon is fighting with Hachette over the price of e-books, and analysts speculated a similar dispute could be at play with Warner over pay for digital copies of its movies. None of the parties involved are talking, but it is clear that Hachette and Warner are hoping the popularity of their products will give them the edge in the dispute.

The Lego Movie has so far made more than $462m worldwide, according to Boxoffice.com. The DVD is released on 17th June but doesn’t even show up in a search for “The Lego Movie” on Amazon in the US, although as it stands the UK site does not seem to be affected. It is the top placed item for the same search on Walmart.com.

If you would like to receive our daily newsflash email, please enter your email address in the “sign-up” box at the top of the page; you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook and request a print subscription here.