Most Clicked Shop.org SmartBrief Stories
1. Luxury-goods firms slowly start to embrace online sales
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 18, 2009
Unlike other retail sectors, the luxury-goods industry has had an adversarial relationship with online sales. Legal disputes over counterfeit-goods sales online, costly failures of online initiatives and concerns about the brands' images being undermined have taken a toll on the industry. As retailers continue to struggle with the economic downturn, luxury-goods firms are starting to warm up to the Internet and the sales potential it brings. New York Times, The (11/17)
2. Online retailers learn benefits of engaging customers
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 17, 2009
Online retailers increasingly are realizing that they can enhance their customers' experiences and earn more money by engaging customers, but it must be done in an authentic and personal way. However, experts say patience is a key to a long-lasting, fruitful social-media campaign. Practical eCommerce (11/16)
3. Tobi.com hopes augmented reality eases consumers' concerns
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 16, 2009
Fashionista is an augmented-reality tool that allows consumers to view clothing superimposed over their own images. The technology has been used in other areas, but Tobi.com is hoping it will help shoppers take some of the guesswork out of buying clothes online. David Selinger, CEO of Rich Relevance, which developed the tool, is aiming to help online retailers sell clothes at the same rate as their traditional counterparts. ClickZ (11/16)
4. Off the Wall connects Facebook users with brands
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 16, 2009
Resource Interactive has launched an "e-commerce experience" called Off the Wall, which allows Facebook users to make purchases directly from a brand without leaving the social-networking site. The service allows retailers and brands to use their Facebook status updates to post items for purchase. Fans can then buy the product, if they're interested. They can also share the status update, along with its purchase functionality, with friends. InternetRetailing.net (11/13)
5. Report: $7 billion in taxes lost due to online retailing
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 17, 2009
A report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says states and local governments are missing out on more than $7 billion annually in lost revenue because online retailers do not charge sales tax. The report says the municipalities could recoup some of the money if they adopted measures similar to those approved in New York. Amazon.com has been leading the charge to keep online retailers exempt from charging sales tax and is opposed to the New York measure, dubbed the "Amazon law." Reuters (11/16)
6. Column: Retail trends for 2010 include m-commerce, factory outlets
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 18, 2009
Michael Baker, a consultant and analyst for global retail, said that as the global economy starts to recover, retailers around the world are focusing more on the future and less on struggling to stay alive. Baker offers a list of the top 10 retail trends for next year. He says mobile commerce is set to explode, while factory outlets have remained a bright spot in the industry. Age (Melbourne, Australia), The (11/18)
7. Consumers count on free shipping
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 16, 2009
Free shipping, once a nice surprise for online and catalog shoppers, has become a necessity if retailers want to keep customers coming back. Bargain-hunting shoppers have come to expect the perk with no strings attached, and retailers are increasingly obliging. "Consumers feel it's their right to buy online without paying for shipping," says Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org. USA TODAY (11/16)
8. Retailers strive to harness power of the mobile app
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 20, 2009
Victoria's Secret, Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters and a host of other retailers have started using mobile commerce to sell their goods online. Some, including Gap, J.C. Penney and Toys R Us, have rolled out smartphone applications to promote their deals and services. Jason Taylor of Usablenet, which makes Web sites more easily navigable by mobile devices, said the company has been busy with adaptation for retailers, such as Staples and Aveda. "I see a real rush by retailers to have proper mobile channels," Taylor said. Financial Times (tiered subscription model) (11/19)
9. Payvment turns "Facebook into an online shopping mall"
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 18, 2009
Payvment has launched an e-commerce application using PayPal's Adaptive Payments APIs to add retail-store functionality to Facebook. "By harnessing the power of the PayPal X global open payments platform, customers will now be able to shop from multiple vendors in a single shopping cart, turning Facebook into an online shopping mall," Payvment said. InternetRetailing.net (11/17)
10. Canadians have yet to embrace online shopping
Shop.org SmartBrief | Nov 16, 2009
Although most Canadians are eager to jump on new social-networking sites such as Facebook, and broadband penetration in the country is high, few Canadian consumers have embraced Internet shopping. Canadians use the Internet to conduct research on products, but make their purchases at traditional outlets. Canada.com (11/13)
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