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The number of computers in North America infected by the Backoff malware, which is blamed for a string of payment card breaches, has risen sharply, according to research from network security company Damballa. The company detected a 57 percent increase between August and September in devices infected with Backoff, which scrapes a computer's RAM for leftover credit card data after a payment card has been swiped, said Brian Foster, Damballa's chief technology officer. Damballa based its finding on data it collects from its ISP and enterprise customers, who use its traffic analysis products to detect malicious activity.

Wal-Mart's more than 11,000 retail locations across 27 countries provides the company's U.S. division a testing lab stretching across five continents, according to Wal-Mart International CEO David Cheesewright. Joking to the crowd gathered during an Oct. 15 investor conference, Cheesewright noted that he was the third speaker of the day who has English as a foreign language. To that point, the world has become smaller and more connected via technology. Retail is at the center of that change. Changes seen in the global markets often make their way back to the Bentonville mothership, he said.

CNBC's Courtney Reagan looks at which retailers are raising free shipping minimums.

The USPS has published its "mail-by" dates. To ensure that holiday mail and packages are delivered in time for Christmas, the Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines:

Sam's Club announced Wednesday that it's opening a private health insurance exchange for its members, a move that's aimed at providing the small business owners that are its core customers with a way to offer affordable insurance coverage to their employees. The launch of the exchange is the latest effort from a major retailer to offer a service that pushes beyond the industry's traditional business of selling goods. Sam's Club, which is a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., says its private insurance marketplace is part of a broader attempt to build customer loyalty.

When it comes to retailing in the digital era, technology is often hyped as the key to knowing the long unknowable, a means to reveal deeper truths about what shoppers want and how they want marketers to deliver it to them. Indeed, the party line on insights to be gained from big data — information gleaned from shoppers’ online and mobile purchasing patterns and activity on social media sites — would, in theory, nullify that iconic quote from department store inventor John Wanamaker: "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is, I don't know which half."

Gap hasn't shied away from making a statement. Last year, its #makelove campaign promoting diversity featured a Sikh model and a gay couple, among others, repping the brand, which stood its ground against a bigoted backlash. But these days Gap seems a little lost with its #dressnormal campaign. With several print, digital and social elements, the campaign for banality has been aggressively promoted online, as well as experientially in pop-up shops as part of the "Dress Normal Project" in five cities. But the campaign doesn't appear to have the intended result on sales.

Imagine spilling coffee on your way to a holiday party and needing a new shirt right away. Macy's has a solution: A quick Google search on your smartphone will tell you if that red sweater is stocked at a Macy's nearby, in your size, and at what price. Beginning in November, shoppers can search for an item on their phone and see what's stocked at their nearest Macy's location. Alongside the images are product details like price, size and color, directions to the store, and a link to the item on the retailer's website. 

Just say no. That's a Florida mother's response to a new line of "Breaking Bad" action figures selling at Toys"R"Us. She's gathered more than 7,500 signatures for a petition to remove the toys, which come with gun and drug accessories. The product line, made by Mezco Toyz LLC, features characters from the popular show, a drama about a chemistry teacher who turns into a drug kingpin that aired on AMC until last year. It includes a $30 figure of Walter White, the main character, holding a gun and a bag of cash and crystal meth.

After using Apple Pay for a day of shopping in stores, a few things became clear: The new payment system is convenient, problem-free and even fun. The same can't be said for using Apple Pay to shop via apps. That system has lots of room for improvement. It's limited, still buggy and seemed to result in multiple charges for some purchases — at least on Day 1. Apple Pay lets owners of the new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus store credit card information on their phones and then pay in stores using tap-to-pay wireless terminals.