E-Commerce

Local business-focused e-commerce company Zappedy announced it's been acquired by Groupon. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Besides a message posted on Zappedy’s website and a small note on the site of one of its investors, Innovation Endeavors, there has been no official announcement of the acquisition.

Seven years after launching a third-party auction marketplace designed to rival eBay, Overstock.com is shutting it down. The company posted a message on its website, but gave no reason for the closure. Overstock.com Spokesperson Roger Johnson told EcommerceBytes the company preferred not to comment on the matter.

Groupon and LivingSocial challenger BuyWithMe has acquired Edhance, which operates one of the largest student rewards programs in the U.S. Terms of the deal, which will be announced some time this morning, weren't disclosed.

Groupon’s practice of selling group-discount coupons with expiration dates is being reviewed by Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen for possible state law violations. Groupon's coupons may fall under the definition of gift certificates under Connecticut law, which prohibits gift certificates from being subjected to expiration dates.

OneStopPlus.com, a web mall for plus-size women and big-and-tall men, announced it's launched international shipping as part of a broader strategy to cultivate its rapidly expanding business.

Kroger is launching a new website affiliated with its Comforts line of baby products that will seek to serve as an online community for mothers. ComfortsForBaby.com will be available in both English and Spanish and will feature original content targeting mothers across all demographics.

These are the boom years for social media and mobile apps, which continue to grow at a torrid pace. Wal-Mart’s Facebook fans doubled to more than 6 million since February, Victoria’s Secret’s Twitter followers nearly tripled to 126,335 in the same period, and Sears has upped its mobile ante to 21. 

Retailers looking forward to summer vacations now have a new chore to take care of. Google announced additional changes to its product search feed requirements that will take effect on Sept. 22.

Heinz is eyeing potential e-commerce campaigns for future tomato ketchup products following the success of its first Facebook shop. The company became the first fast-moving consumer goods brand to sell a product via the social network earlier this year when it made a limited-edition flavor of tomato ketchup available exclusively through Facebook.

If sex sells, then nudity can't be far behind. At least that's what Zappos hopes with its new advertising campaign featuring naked models doing everyday things like jogging, hailing a cab and playing Frisbee in public.