Content about Electronic commerce

DENVER — A recent study conducted by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research, and unvelied in the latest issue of The Checkout, found 16% of Hispanic shoppers use their mobile device to make purchases, compared with just 12% of general market shoppers.

ST. LOUIS — Aisle411, a mobile retail navigation service, on Tuesday announced that its mobile shopping and searchable store maps smartphone app is available to use within more than 12,000 retail stores throughout the United States. 

As the editor of DSN, I decide what stays in print and what gets cut. Spatial limitations dictated that this snippet from our Amazon story had to go. But in the age of the omnichannel shopper, where every retailer competes against everyone else for a bigger share of the customer's wallet, how can you do an in-depth profile on the world's largest online retailer and not talk about omnichannel?

SEATTLE — Amazon on Thursday reported a net sales increase of 22% to $16.1 billion for its first quarter ended March 31. Of that, $9.4 billion was sourced from the North American market. North American sales of electronics, health and beauty products, among other merchandise, reached $6.1 billion for the quarter, up 28.4%. 

During a conference call with analysts, Amazon CEO Tom Szkutak declined to confirm rumors that Amazon is investing in additional refrigeration equipment across its fulfillment center footprint with plans to expand AmazonFresh. 

NEW YORK — Rumors are circulating that Amazon may be opening a brick-and-mortar store in London, according to published reports.

The website Ecommercebytes.com reported on an ad that appeared on the classified-ad site Gumtree.com, for positions at an Amazon store to open in East London.

"As this is our first Amazon store you will be a part of our companies [sic] history," the ad reads. "You will be heavily promoting the store within Westfield enticing passers by to visit our state of the art show room."

SEATTLE — Hointer, which opened last fall, allows men to buy jeans by combining "online conveniences without the offline B.S." Customers walk in, download an app onto a smartphone or tablet, scan a QR code on the tag and are automatically directed to a dressing room. After trying on the pants, they can either buy them on the spot with a credit card or drop them into a chute, which will automatically remove them from the "cart."

SEATTLE — Online retailer Amazon has announced the launch of its new 50+ Active and Healthy Living Store, which features hundreds of thousands of nutrition, wellness, exercise and fitness, medical, personal care, beauty, entertainment items and more — all in a single destination for customers in the 50-plus years age range.

NEW YORK — Costco Wholesale appears to be eyeing China's online commerce market, according to published reports.

The Southern Metropolis Daily, a newspaper based in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, reported Thursday that the Issaquah, Wash.-based club retailer was interested in entering the country's e-commerce market and was in the process of looking for local partners.

SAN FRANCISCO — More than half of Americans shop and spend money to improve their moods, according to a new survey.

The study, by Ebates.com, found that 63.9% of women engage in "retail therapy," compared with 39.8% of men, and the belief that it improves moods was found among 39.2% of women, compared with 20.6% of men. The survey was conducted online by TNS Global and included 1,000 adults.

Google is offering a service called Google Shopping Express, which would offer same-day delivery from brick-and-mortar stores in the San Francisco Bay Area to the Internet giant's employees. Target and several other retailers have been named as possible partners.

SAN FRANCISCO — A new technology will allow standard point-of-sale laser scanners to scan coupons, loyalty cards and gift cards on the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone without any changes to existing technology.