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Thanks to Internet-equipped smartphones, shoppers are increasingly using software applications to check prices at other stores without leaving the mall. Now retailers are trying to use technology to fight back. A start-up called Shopkick Inc., for example, has signed up Best Buy Co. and Macy's Inc. as launch partners for a new kind of app for iPhone and Android handsets that detects when shoppers are in or near stores and offers rewards targeted to them. Shopkick exploits the phones' location-sensing abilities — and cameras that customers can use to scan bar codes on items — to offer product information, coupons or other marketing offers when shoppers are in a convenient position to buy.

Sears Holdings Corp. is jumping into the commercial real estate market in hopes of extracting more cash from its vast network of Sears and Kmart stores. The retailer has spent the past several months putting together an in-house team of real estate experts to find a way to make its chain of department and discount stores more productive. Sears expanded the effort in March by quietly setting up shop online under the moniker SHC Realty. The website touts an extensive, searchable database of thousands of Sears and Kmart stores available for sale, rent or partial lease as shops within the stores. Sears plans to unveil the program officially at the International Council of Shopping Centers' real estate convention in Las Vegas in May.

The U.S. Commerce Department kicked off an initiative to take a close look at how the privacy of individuals is impacted broadly in the Internet economy with the goal of providing advice to the White House on how both the president and government policymakers might regard the topic. The U.S. government plan comes after 10 countries took Google to task for perceived failings in protecting personal information of those who use its Internet-based services, but the Commerce Dept. isn’t saying there’s any connection to that. According to one Commerce source, the idea for a broad-based privacy-policy review related to the Internet has been mulled for a few months.

J.C. Penney Co. plans to reverse its three-year sales decline and increase revenue by $5 billion by 2014, management said at the retailer's annual analyst and investor meeting. Penney projects annual sales will reach $23 billion in five years from a number of initiatives that include continuing to add exclusive apparel brands such as Liz Claiborne and MNG Mango, mending its home business and updating its jewelry selection. It plans to add 75 Sephora shops a year in its existing stores to reach 600 by 2015. It's introducing high fashion into shoe and accessories departments, taking confusion out of promotional pricing and launching a mobile-ready website within 18 months. It's also building on a loyalty rewards program that had 5 million customers signed up in the first year and a potential draw from 16 million Penney credit card holders.

Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today was joined by 40 other trade associations and business coalitions in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV), and Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), urging them to keep proposals for expansion of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) out of the Senate’s current debate over financial regulatory reform. The letter expressed strong opposition to the inclusion of provisions that would significantly expand the FTC rulemaking and enforcement authority in the “Restoring American Financial Stability Act” (RAFSA). Granting the FTC broad new authority over virtually every sector of the American economy is not a necessary or relevant response to the causes of the recent recession. RAFSA should be focused on strengthening the stability of our economy, not regulating industries that had nothing to do with the financial crisis at a time when businesses are struggling to both survive and create new jobs.

Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., today announced the launch of its new 2010 Green Guide online catalog for small- and medium-sized businesses to Fortune 1000 corporations. As organizations continue to focus on corporate social responsibility, an increasing number are using the power of purchasing to advance their sustainability efforts. Featuring more than 1,100 products from across Staples’ EcoEasy product assortment – ranging from paper and toner to furniture, technology, and cleaning and breakroom supplies – the Staples Green Guide supports convenient and efficient purchasing while driving environmentally sound procurement practices.

The Postal Service is using all available airlift, rerouting mail through alternate airports and booking available ground transportation to move international mail in response to the ongoing closure of airports throughout Europe. Many international airports remain closed due to the plume of volcanic ash blanketing extensive areas of the continent. Retail employees at Post Offices and other locations are continuing to accept mail to all destinations in Europe, and are advising customers that service delays can be expected and guarantees for delivery have been suspended.

SAN FRANCISCO – A Levi Strauss & Co. executive recommended building on traditional advertising campaigns by adding digital channels such as social media and mobile to the mix during the opening keynote address at ad:tech.

Thanks to Internet-equipped smartphones, shoppers are increasingly using software applications to check prices at other stores without leaving the mall. Now retailers are trying to use technology to fight back.

Last week we saw highlights from the "Think with Google: Future of Multi-Channel" summit. Today we learn from Avinash Kaushik, Analytics Evangelist at Google, about measuring offline marketing impact online and measuring online impact offline. Watch the short 5-min video on non-line driven analytics.