Macy”™s Inc., which has several locations in Westchester and Fairfield, enjoyed a healthy holiday season of sales, including a big increase in online sales.
The company reported a 4.1 increase in in-store sales and a 52 percent increase in online sales as compared to December 2011, and said it has tried to make sure the website replicates the in-store experience. For the first time, the company sold $2 billion worth of inventory online.
The website has 1,150 employees, and Macy”™s has built new warehouses, including a 1.3 million-square-foot distribution center in West Virginia and has 300 of its 850 stores acting as e-commerce fulfillment centers.
The fulfillment centers target Macy”™s locations with an overflow of certain items so the store can move the items without discounting them.
The flagship store at Herald Square in Manhattan has a 39,000-square-foot shoe department where employees use an iPod Touch as a cash register.
Other retailers, including Nordstrom, TJ Maxx and Marshalls also did well online during the holidays, providing stiff competition for Macy”™s.
