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The U.S. Postal Service is making rate changes in April, both for market-dominant services and competitive products. The USPS received approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission this week. The good news for many small online sellers is that Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express rates are not increasing. But there is negative news for sellers using First Class Package International Service. We checked in with Eric Nash of Stamps.com for help in understanding the impact of the new rates on online sellers.

Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc, a retailer of hardwood flooring, said the U.S. Department of Justice may seek criminal charges against the company under an Act aimed at curbing illegal harvest of tropical hardwoods. The company's shares plunged as much as 24 percent after CEO Robert Lynch also said that CBS's "60 Minutes" news program will feature the company in an "unfavorable light with regard to sourcing and product quality, specifically related to laminates."

Clothing company Chico's FAS said Thursday it's eliminating 180 positions and may close up to 25 stores to cope with the economy's toll on retailers. Chico's, which operates its namesake retail stores, White House Black Market and Soma Intimates brands, has suffered from weak sales as consumers cut their spending back amid the recession. The job cuts represent roughly 11 percent of its workforce at its Fort Meyers, Fla. headquarters. The move is expected to save the company $15 million over the next year.

TJX Cos. said it would increase the minimum hourly wage of employees in 2,500 stores to $9, joining a growing number of U.S. retailers raising the pay for workers at the lowest end of the pay scale. TJX, which operates T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains in 49 states, follows Wal-Mart and Gap in boosting their pay well above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. 

Longchamp USA Inc., the French luxury brand, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in New York federal court earlier this month against Bed Bath & Beyond, alleging that it suffered losses in excess of $1 million over the sale of copycat bags sold by Bed Bath & Beyond and Laila Rowe, a self-described accessory store of choice for fashionistas. Capelli New York, a designer and manufacturer of apparel and branded products, is also named as a defendant in the suit, in which Longchamp claims that the defendants ripped off the trademarked look and style of its famed Le Pliage handbag.

The world of marketing has exploded with opportunities to capture the heart of both customers and prospects alike. Whether it's online or offline, marketers bombard consumers with a cacophony of messages that overload the senses and create confusion. Therefore, it's more important than ever to present a simple, compelling directive to guide prospects to a desired action. While a "call to action" isn't a new concept, it's imperative you understand how to take advantage of this powerful tool. Here are seven tips to creating strong calls to action that will resonate and encourage consumers to take the next step of engagement.

Neiman Marcus and Capital One have created a mobile wallet for the luxury retailer's credit card customers who use Apple iPhones. Customers can make in-store purchases without carrying a plastic credit card. NM Mobile Wallet will work with Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and customer cards from Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Neiman Marcus chose its own route vs. accepting Apple Pay. The NM Mobile wallet app actually works on more versions of the iPhone than Apple Pay, which only works on its newest iPhone 6. NM Mobile Wallet requires that phones operate with at least version iOS 7.

Walgreen Co. was within its rights to fire a pharmacist who had moral objections to administering flu vaccines, a federal judge has ruled. Rodney Prewitt, a 66-year-old pharmacist who had worked at the company for about five years, sued Walgreens after the pharmacy started a program in 2010 offering 20 vaccines, including one for the flu, to customers in its stores nationwide. It required pharmacists to complete a training program in order to administer the vaccines and immunize customers who asked for the service.

With Ann Taylor and Chico's FAS Inc. fielding takeover offers, would-be buyers have to decide whether aging brands can adapt to a culture where women are dressing younger than ever. ANN Inc., Chico's and other chains that have long catered to older professional women haven't built as much rapport with millennial shoppers, who don't want to shop at the same stores as their moms, said Liz Dunn, CEO of consulting firm Talmage Advisors. Even women approaching middle age are wary of retailers that are perceived as old, she said.

Department store chain Belk took a previously successful TV holiday campaign and modernized it for the omnichannel era, with impressive results. "In January 2014, we started to look at how to improve our fourth-quarter performance and engage with the customer," said Jon Pollack, Belk's executive vice president of sales, promotions, marketing and e-commerce. "The idea was born to revive ‘Santa Baby,’ a campaign from 2009, and modernize it to drive sales, engagement and interaction."