E-Commerce

LoveSpoils announced today the launch of its online retail site, a first-of-its-kind romantic relationship-based shopping experience. The site provides couples the opportunity to generate reward points, called "LoveSpoils," by shopping at participating retailers. At LoveSpoils, when you purchase something for yourself, your significant other receives reward points, which he or she can apply toward discounted items.

Before brands come up with clever emails and identify the best Valentine's Day products, what are they doing to prepare themselves for the masses? They’re tending to their e-commerce sites, of course. It’s not too late for you to do the same.

Amazon.com is about to announce a web video deal with Viacom in what sources said was one of the last steps in a plan to launch a stand-alone subscription service to compete with Netflix. The online retailer will unveil the deal as soon as this week, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

comScore's U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimate for last year's fourth quarter showed that online retail spending reached $49.7 billion, up 14 percent vs. 2010. This represented the ninth consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. U.S. retail e-commerce spending in 2011 reached a record $161.5 billion, marking a 13 percent increase from 2010.

Etsy told sellers it's cracking down on questionable shops and resellers. The company said almost 1,300 members from around the world report shops and listings every week, and it encouraged users to report listings that weren't in compliance with its marketplace rules.

Much of the discussion about Amazon is focused on its digital side, yet the company is relentlessly expanding into the physical. It's announced five new warehouses since late December, all with more than a million square feet. It's testing out delivery lockers in New York and Seattle for those who can't receive their goods at home.

You know the tide of commerce is turning when a six-year-old can come up with an e-business idea and it's, well, good. Bethany Sawyer was your average five-year-old (now six) who loved to draw, when she came up with an idea for how she could turn her art into a proper business.

Staples will debut a tablet-optimized e-commerce website this week that emphasizes visual navigation and minimizes the need to type on a touchscreen keyboard. Consumer tablet users will be automatically routed to the tablet site at t.staples.com, according to published reports.

Price transparency has been — and continues to be — a disrupting influence in retail. It grants smartphone-wielding and web-based consumers the ability to instantaneously discover the best price available for almost any product at any time. Comparison shopping apps and websites conjure up for consumers the lowest cost available across traditional brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce sites within seconds.

The latest Empathica Consumer Insights Panel survey found that 28 percent of consumers said they tell others about their luxury purchase through social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook or blogs.