| News about digital retail commerce |  |
- Congressional hearing illustrates divide on online sales tax
U.S. lawmakers shared their divergent views on a federal bill to allow states to require online retailers to collect sales tax during a committee hearing Tuesday, but the two sides appeared to find little common ground. Retail interests were more hopeful. "There's a lot of momentum right now, and there even appears to be some inevitability to this," said NRF vice president and tax counsel Rachelle Bernstein. Reuters (7/24), NorthJersey.com (Hackensack, N.J.) (free registration) (7/24)       | Could you get more ROI from CRM?
It's no secret that closer customer relationships generate more sales. But if you haven't introduced your associates to the power of advanced clienteling, you haven't even begun to realize your full profit potential! Learn how with our in-depth White Paper: Five Steps to a Better Class of Clienteling. Download your copy now! |
 | Online Retail Trends |  |  | | - Back-to-school shoppers want free shipping
Almost three-quarters of parents in a recent survey said free shipping is the biggest single incentive when choosing which online retailer to buy from, followed closely by prices, according to PriceGrabber. Additionally, 37% said that they're likely to use their mobile devices to engage in some showrooming as they're out shopping this season. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (7/24) - Netotiate aims to bring negotiating to online shopping
Netotiate has created a plug-in designed to give online merchants the option to let shoppers negotiate for a lower price rather than walk away. "If a visitor to your site wants to buy a product from you, if your listed price isn't right for the visitor, many will simply leave and look for a better deal elsewhere," said CEO Amir Farhi. VentureBeat (7/24) - OverstockDeals launches online plumbing supply site
Online home-improvement retailer OverstockDeals has launched PlumbingDepot.com, a specialized site for plumbing projects that boasts about 500,000 products from faucets to whirlpool tubs. The site is the first of several planned niche sites for OverstockDeals, which saw its sales grew almost 50% last year. Internet Retailer (7/24) | New Media & Technology | | | | - Q-and-A: NRF's new retail tech vice president talks trends
 Mobile technology provides both the biggest challenges and the biggest opportunities in retail right now, says Tom Litchford, NRF's new vice president of retail technologies. "Consumers are incredibly knowledgeable and truly powerful. They control the shopping journey, and the retailer must be ready and able to engage the consumer on their terms – when they want, where they want, and on what device they want." Retail's BIG Blog (7/25)  | Earn 2X rewards points on shipping costs with The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster:
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  | Companies in the News | | | | - Alibaba reorganizes units on path to IPO
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding reorganized its six subsidiaries, including online marketplaces Taobao.com, Tmall.com and Juhuasuan.com, into seven units. The move is likely in preparation for taking the company public, analysts said. "Alibaba has been restructuring its organizations in the past few years, trying to find a suitable way to grow its business, and the move this time is not likely to be the last one," information technology analyst Hong Bo said. China Daily (Beijing) (7/24) - Taco Bell rings up mobile platform for Cantina Bell menu
Taco Bell is emphasizing mobile exploration of its new Cantina Bell menu in a campaign via an Us magazine banner ad and mobile-optimized site. The site includes a Facebook-exclusive coupon offer, store locator and information on chef Lorena Garcia, credited for the revamped menu. Mobile Marketer (7/25)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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| Interactive Advertising | | | | | Shop.org Spotlight | | | | - How to engage the social and mobile savvy back-to-college shopper
NRF's Back-to-College survey found that 37% of shoppers will purchase something online this year, a record high since 2007. So what strategies can retailers put into place to leverage this customer base? In a post on the Shop.org blog, Head of Research Fiona Swerdlow explains how mobile devices figure in to this year's shopping equation, and why the growing popularity of "mo-cial" marketing is key to reaching the hyper-connected crowd. Read more. Shop.org Blog (7/25) - How fast-growing retail companies leverage audience engagement
Technology has shifted the balance of informational power to consumers, and for retailers to survive and thrive, companies must continuously innovate to earn and captivate consumers. In a new white paper on Shop.org, ExactTarget's in-depth study of the 100 fastest growing retail chains in America revealed the methodologies behind how these companies are building and engaging consumer audiences through their in-store, digital and mobile touch points. Download the white paper.
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