  | News about digital retail commerce |  |
- Walgreen to keep Drugstore.com as a separate brand
The courtship between Walgreen and Drugstore.com went on for about a year before the online pharmacy accepted the brick-and-mortar chain's third proposal and agreed to be acquired for about $429 million, according to new regulatory filings. After the deal closes this summer, the brands are expected to remain as separate entities, and Walgreen doesn't plan any significant reductions of Drugstore.com's 950-person staff. The Seattle Times (4/13)        | A Personal Touch Makes All The Difference
Your customers are individuals, not segments or lists. Treat them that way, and they will reward you generously. Learn how easy it is to get started with email personalization.
Watch the video now! | - Consumers read online product reviews, but not on social networks
E-commerce sites, review sites and search engines are the most likely landing places for consumers seeking product reviews before making a purchase, according to new data from Lightspeed Research. Only 7% of the 1,500 consumers polled said they have used social sites such as Facebook and Twitter as a source of reviews. "Despite their role in our digital lives, social networks don't yet seem to be the place where word of mouth is delivering its full power," said Lightspeed's Naor Chazan. InternetRetailer.com (4/13) - Russian e-commerce ventures attract Western investors
 Russia claims the second-largest share of Europe's Internet users, and an earlier social media boom proved profitable for savvy in-country investors. Now, Western investors who largely missed the rise of Russian social sites are starting to invest in burgeoning e-commerce sites, such as online luxury retailer KupiVIP.ru, which recently closed on a $55 million funding round that included London-based Balderton Capital. Forbes/Disruptors blog (4/14)  | Akamai - The Right Partner with the Right Solution
Are you failing to to satisfy user expectations for an outstanding online shopping experience? Do you need to accelerate your dynamic content? Do you strive to be a retailer that pushes the envelope with site technology and offerings? Learn why the Akamai Dynamic Site Accelerator is the right solution for those issues and more. |
 - 10 tips for achieving social media success
Consumers don't want to be friends with brands, but they are looking to connect with issues, missions and content they can relate to, writes Julie Glassman, founder of BRAND Consulting. Brands that understand their audiences and find ways to create meaningful dialogues that resonate without being all about the product have an advantage when it comes to creating successful social-marketing efforts, she writes. iMedia Connection (4/14) - AmEx partners with startup Payfone on a mobile payment system
American Express invested in a startup that is developing a payment system that uses a cellphone number tied to a credit and debit card account. Unlike a slew of other mobile payment services in the works, Payfone's system is open and does not rely on near-field communication technology. Computerworld (4/13)  | Evaluate your Energy company's top ten, potential risks and loss management strategies with the Zurich Virtual Consultant tool. Sign up to get FREE access today! |
 | Companies in the News |  | | | - Burberry launches its digital makeover in China
Burberry Group is striving to shake off its image as a stiff fashion label for the older set by giving its stores a makeover featuring the latest in digital technology. The U.K. company is outfitting its outlets in China with touchscreens and iPads. Angela Ahrendts, chief executive officer at Burberry, said the company will eventually expand its digital retail model to other markets. "China is home to the majority of the world's most digitally powered consumers," Ahrendts said. "We want to connect with them in stores the same way we do elsewhere, giving consumers full access to buy what they want, however they want." MarketWatch (4/14) - Amazon aims to beef up staffing in an ad-products group
Amazon is advertising several positions for an ad-products group, a move that one analyst said signals the company's plan to aggressively expand display-ad sales on its own and third-party sites. "Should Amazon execute and increase its advertising presence on non-Amazon-owned third-party sites, it could disrupt other established third-party display ad networks," said Ben Schachter, an analyst with Macquarie Equities Research. InternetRetailer.com (4/13)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Read this new analyst report, compliments of Demandware, and learn about whether the millions of users on Facebook are actually generating revenue for retailers. Download the report today
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