| News about digital retail commerce |  |
- American Giant president talks manufacturing in the U.S.
Former Chrome Bags President Bayard Winthrop has launched American Giant, an online-only apparel seller that manufactures all its clothing in California factories. Now that consumers are comfortable ordering clothing online, it's possible to move more manufacturing back to the U.S. because companies can cut overhead in other areas to make up for more expensive production, he says. FastCompany.com (2/1)       | Top 5 HR Compliance Concerns for Small Business
Small and medium sized companies spend a lot of time focusing on core business issues, but they may overlook one of the most potentially serious and costly issues — regulatory compliance. How do you know what issues to look for in order to protect the company? Download this must-read paper that discusses the top 5 HR compliance issues. |
 | Online Retail Trends |  |  | | - Online fashion's focus shifts away from price
When it comes to fashion, the newest online retailers and members-only merchants are focused less on offering bargain prices and more on providing fashion fans with convenience and personalized exclusive offers. Instead of clearance sales on last season's looks, 9-month-old Canadian retailer Dealuxe is finding success selling the latest looks at full price. Canada.com (1/31) - Survey: U.K. consumers spend time online, money in stores
 The average U.K. consumer spends 2.4 hours shopping online each week and 1.2 hours actually visiting stores, but shoppers still spend more money at brick-and-mortar retail establishments, according to a survey from BaseKit Platform. The survey also found that 86% of shoppers 55 and older regularly shop online. InternetRetailer.com (1/30)  | The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN
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  - 5 social media predictions for marketers
Social media will move from the realm of fluffy to serious marketing campaigns this year, as marketers invest more time and money, writes The Search Agency's Heather Sundell. Among her other predictions: search and social will meld, virtually all websites will offer social-sharing options, and marketers will move from counting fans to revenue-related metrics. iMedia Connection (1/31)  | Costs are rising in China and Japan, prompting high-tech firms across Asia to consider new sourcing locations so they can remain efficient, while focusing more on service. What will be the impact of this behavioral shift? Learn about the findings in this free white paper. |
 | Companies in the News | | | | - Amazon reports 57% drop in Q4 profit
Amazon's revenue increased 35% in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2010, but profit fell 57%. The company spent the quarter investing significantly in the Kindle, other technology and fulfillment centers. Amazon's stock price declined after the company forecast an operating loss and lower-than-expected revenue for this quarter. The Wall Street Journal (2/1), MocoNews.net (1/31), Bloomberg (2/1) - Piggly Wiggly Carolina expands online shopping
Piggly Wiggly Carolina added 26 locations to online-ordering program Click'n Shop, totaling 36. Customers use MyWebGrocer technology to buy groceries online and can opt for delivery or store pickup. "The program has been profitable and a proven way to acquire and retain our customers," said Chief Supply Chain Officer Robert Masche. "It only makes sense for us to expand this to new markets." Progressive Grocer (1/31) - Tech firms collaborate to fight phishing
Large tech companies including Facebook, Google and Microsoft are partnering to stamp out e-mail phishing and improve security. "E-mail is easy to spoof, and criminals have found spoofing to be a proven way to exploit user trust of well-known brands," according to Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance Los Angeles Times/Technology blog (1/30) - TrialPay raises $40 million in new funding led by Visa
Visa led a new $40 million funding round for TrialPay, an alternative payment service that lets users pay for virtual goods by agreeing to watch an advertising video or sign up for a subscription. The company plans to use the funds to expand internationally and extend the virtual offers to real-world transactions. VentureBeat (1/31)
| Shop.org Spotlight | | | | - Tablet, smartphone shopping increases dramatically for Valentine's Day 2012
More than half of tablet owners, and 4 out of 10 smartphone owners, will look to their gadgets for the perfect gifts this Valentine's Day. According to NRF's 2012 Valentine's Day survey, conducted by BIGinsight, Americans will use their handheld devices to research products, compare prices, redeem coupons, look up retailer information or purchase products. Read more. - NRF's 101st Annual Convention draws record 25,500 attendees
Breaking all previous attendance records for Retail's BIG Show, NRF's 101st Annual Convention and EXPO, held in mid-January in New York City, welcomed 25,500 attendees from around the world, up from the 22,500 attendees last year. "The phrase 'jaw-dropping' best summarizes the overall theme of NRF's 2012 Annual Convention, and there was a buzz in the air like never before," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "From President Bill Clinton's inspirational keynote to the jam-packed EXPO hall full of the latest retail technologies, every aspect of the event was bigger and better this year." Read more.
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More than 5 million Americans plan to purchase a new television ahead of the Super Bowl. Source: 
