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Ray-Ban has asked Sen. Rand Paul's presidential campaign to quit selling the brand's Wayfarer sunglasses, which Paul had imprinted with the "Rand" logo. The Rand-Ban sunglasses were for sale for $150 on Paul's website as recently as Tuesday. The website described the product as "the intersection of politics and cool." But the campaign didn't have Ray-Ban's consent, and the company didn't think that was cool.

Amazon.com is the first online retailer to offer customers delivery directly into their car trunk. And it's not stopping there — Amazon has also acquired an "Internet of Things" (IoT) platform called 2lemetry, presumably to tie in with its Dash Replenishment Service that enables connected devices to order physical goods from Amazon when supplies are running low. Amazon is working with Audi Connect Easy Delivery, which will operate through temporary authorization for keyless access to the car's luggage compartment. The new service will provide customers with the option of entering their Audi as the shipping address for online orders.

Amazon.com rolled out a new service Tuesday to help people plan and book local getaway trips through its website. The service, called Amazon Destinations, provides lists of locations near a user's home for short-term trips, offering hotel bookings, as well as information on dining and attractions. For instance, for a New York customer, the site provides bookings for hotels in the Catskills, the Hamptons and on the New Jersey Shore. Still, the rollout for now is small, with the service available for only the New York, Los Angeles and Seattle metro areas. 

The Justice Department and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have filed a lawsuit against Michaels for failing to report serious hazards with glass vases that were prone to shattering. Officials claim the arts-and-crafts retailer knowingly violated the reporting requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Act by failing to disclose a series of complaints about the vases, which caused serious injuries to some of its customers, including lacerations that needed stitches, or permanent nerve and tendon damage that required surgery.

Call it the case of "patent or perish." A lawyer formerly in charge of applying for patents in cosmetics company L'Oreal SA's U.S. office claims he was fired in December for refusing to make filings for dubious inventions just so the company could fill an annual quota. Steven Trzaska said in a complaint filed April 16 in Newark, New Jersey, that L'Oreal ordered him to apply for at least 40 patents last year to help fill a companywide global quota of 500 applications. The company sought to post on its cosmetics packaging that the contents were "patent pending." 

Target Corp. is responding to customers frustrated by their inability to buy items from the chain's Lilly Pulitzer collection. The limited-edition line went live in stores and online Sunday morning, with most of the items selling out within minutes. In a Q&A on Target's website, Chief Merchandising and Supply Chain Officer Kathee Tesija said that while Target's limited-edition designer collaborations often sell out, this one was unique "for how quickly our guests shopped and how much they purchased."

Wal-Mart is eliminating a layer of in-store management, part of efforts to simplify operations at the world's largest retailer. The company will cut the role of zone manager and transfer the duties to other managers, Wal-Mart spokesman Kory Lundberg said. The change, affecting about 14,000 employees, is meant to reduce bureaucracy and put more power in the hands of people running Wal-Mart's 4,500 U.S. stores. The company began notifying employees of the decision this month, Lundberg said. Until now, employees in zone-manager positions — generally about six workers per store — had responsibility over several departments. 

Up-and-coming designer Moziah Bridges of Memphis, Tenn., age 13, runs a successful fashion business, raking in revenues of over $200,000 per year. Bridges founded Mo's Bows when he was just 9 years old, selling unique handmade bow ties. Uninspired by the options currently on the market, Bridges asked his grandmother to teach him to make his own bow ties from her leftover scrap fabrics. Since then, his business has expanded and hired five employees, including his mother. Mo's Bows started out on Etsy, and now are sold in Neiman Marcus stores and on the retailer's website.  

Frederick's of Hollywood filed for bankruptcy protection Sunday with a $22.5 million offer in hand from Authentic Brands Group, LLC. The agreement with Authentic Brands means the lingerie chain will continue only as an online business, unless a rival steps forward that agrees to reopen the stores. None appeared in the efforts to find a buyer that preceded the bankruptcy, court papers say. If any competing bids are received, Frederick's is planning a May 28 auction, with Authentic Brands as lead bidder.

Target's exodus from Canada has left gaping holes at some of the most prominent shopping centers across the country, the biggest symbol of an exceptional period of retailing turmoil. As Target Canada closed the last of its 133 stores this month — completing the parent company's hasty retreat from its first international expansion, a move that prompted a $4.5 billion write-down — many landlords were left holding properties whose fates are uncertain. They, along with many other creditors, argue that Target is abusing Canadian law at their expense as it leaves the country after less than two years.