E-Commerce

Amazon.com announced that developers can now submit apps for distribution this summer in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, with plans for further global expansion in the near future. Developers can get started by visiting the Amazon Mobile App Distribution Portal. The Amazon Appstore in the U.S. has grown to tens of thousands of apps and games in just one year.

Hallmark has announced a strategic alliance with Shutterfly, an internet-based social expression and personal publishing service. The alliance, which will roll out in phases, includes co-branded online and retail-based product offerings. Initially, the agreement calls for more than 1,000 exclusive Hallmark-designed customizable cards to be featured on Shutterfly's new personalized greeting card site, Treat.com. 

The mobile revolution may have convinced retailers that all screen sizes are shrinking, but in actuality both the small and large ends of the size spectrum have seen growth. In fact, as many as 80 percent of customers used high-resolution devices with screen sizes of 1024 pixels or more in 2011, even screens resembling 50-inch flat-panel TVs, according to Dillard's Director of E-Commerce Kevin Moffitt. However, "most sites weren't taking advantage of this additional screen real estate, including Dillards.com, until just a few months ago," he added. 

Amazon.com has launched a MyHabit fashion site mobile app for the Kindle Fire and Android mobile phones. Amazon launched the MyHabit mobile app for the iPhone last August. Amazon launched the MyHabit.com "private" fashion sale site last year. Anyone can register for the site for free, which offers up to 60 percent off handpicked styles from designer and boutique brands across women's, men's, children's and home departments. Amazon calls the site a "luxurious fashion destination for shopping handpicked items."

Within the past year, Fab.com has hit a lot of milestones: 1.8 million products sold; 4.75 million members and now three acquisitions. The acquisition announced today on the company’s blog is Llustre, a copycat of Fab.com in the U.K. that's identically focused on selling home decor, apparel and other items from independent designers. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Fab.com previously purchased Casacanda in Germany and Fashionstake in the U.S. to launch its clothing vertical.

AngiesList is working on an e-commerce storefront service to help local businesses reach consumers who are looking for ratings of service providers. Purchasing directly on AngiesList makes customers feel more secure, according to a marketing video the company produced — and it gives businesses an opportunity to upsell additional services to the customer. 

Over 200 branded manufacturers and 1,300 retailers answered surveys to determine the effectiveness of retail-integrated e-commerce, and the results are clear: 73 percent of the brands surveyed stated that retail-integrated e-commerce increased their overall sales — both online and in-store.

For online shoppers, issues related to shipping are still not as important as ease of checkout and product variety. They still play a significant role in converting browsers into buyers, however, according to a February 2012 survey conducted by comScore. In fact, when asked what aspect of the shopping process could be improved by retailers, three of the top five responses were related to shipping. 

CashStar announced the results of its first Father's Day Gifting survey. The survey examined consumers’ desires for and expectations of e-gifts and found that more than 39 million Americans plan to purchase an e-gift card for Father's Day or another holiday this year, which reinforces the growth of this multibillion dollar market. The study also found consumers demand photo and video personalization and more than 130 million expect e-gifts to be delivered in seconds.

More than a year after it bought shopping website HauteLook, Nordstrom is considering another acquisition in the e-commerce space. Nordstrom doesn't have a history of making acquisitions, but Chief Financial Officer Mike Koppel told The Daily Deal that the high-end department store chain doesn't "claim to have all the answers when it comes to e-commerce." Koppel declined to say which assets the retailer might be targeting, only that it would be in the e-commerce sector.