E-Commerce

Amazon has unveiled an augmented reality iPhone app that allows you to discover information about everyday products around you. Flow powered by Amazon lets you use your camera to find, review and buy items within the application.

Last month, Urban Outfitters drew threats of legal action from the Navajo Nation for advertising the "Navajo Hipster Panty." To avoid that potential liability, Urban Outfitters recently changed the names of all 21 of the products it had been calling "Navajo." But fellow retailer Forever 21 doesn't seem to share Urban Outfitters' concern. While a search for "Navajo" on its website turns up no results, a little digging reveals at least a half-dozen items that have the Navajo trademark in the title.

Casual Male, a retailer of men's big and tall apparel, announced the launch of DestinationXL.com, an e-commerce site offering the largest selection of clothing for big and tall men.

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British department store Debenhams launched an augmented reality pop-up store service where shoppers can try on outfits near the U.K.’s tourist attractions. Shoppers with an iPhone or iPad 2 can use their device to scan the scene around five famous landmarks to find the store’s selection of party dresses — and once located, they can virtually try them on a picture of themselves, share and even order.

O.co announced that it will offer a free 60-day trial for Club O, its exclusive customer rewards program. The free trial includes free shipping on all products, 5 percent back in Club O Rewards Dollars for every purchase, and access to exclusive shopping events. Anytime during the 60-day trial customers can choose to opt out of the membership.

Amazon’s delivery locker system, which was first tested last month in Seattle, has been activated in New York City. Instead of having a package delivered to your home or business address, people who live near to a locker location can choose to send it there and then collect it at a convenient time using a unique code.

With national retail sales expected to increase only slightly throughout the entire holiday season, just 10 days will make or break the period for retailers, according to ShopperTrak. The week before Christmas will be especially important this year, as five of the top sales and foot traffic days will occur between Dec. 18 and Dec. 24.

In an effort to help merchants both achieve and maintain payment card industry (PCI) compliance, technologies for cardholder data security have become more prevalent. Merchants should view PCI compliance as an ongoing business requirement with continuously evolving needs and mandated changes, not just a one-time, stand-alone IT issue.

Launched at the height of the flash-sale craze in 2009, ideeli grew faster than it planned for. Sounds like a good problem to have, right? Well, sort of. The retailer’s rapid growth left its in-house customer service team unable to provide the high level of service that it believed its members deserved.