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Gap has deployed the Google Wallet pay-by-smartphone capability in more than 65 of its California stores, joining leading retailers including Macy's, OfficeMax, Toys"R"Us and American Eagle in using the technology. Gap is promoting usage of the app with a 15 percent discount off customers' entire purchase through February 2012.

Etsy launched a mobile app for shoppers. Spokesperson Adam Brown said Etsy for the iPhone is designed to help shoppers find unique gifts whether they're in front of their computer, iPad or phone - at work, home or anywhere in-between. Brown said the tool would be helpful for Etsy sellers as well. Sellers will be able to use the app to view and manage shop orders, make quick updates to their shop, and receive alerts when a buyer makes a purchase. Etsy Director of Mobile Leland Rechis led the product team in developing the mobile shopping app for Etsy

NEW YORK (Trefis) -- The technology world is changing rapidly, and this holds large implications for how business is done in the apparel industry. The popularity of tablet devices and smartphones has catapulted Internet and mobile sales to the top of apparel retailers' strategies. It's become particularly important for the teen apparel sector, which includes Aeropostale(ARO) IHL Group President Greg Buzek says, "A complete transformation of the customer experience will occur at clothing and department stores over the next three years." Below we look at how the apparel sector is getting influenced by technical advancements. See our full analyses

Luxury retail customers demand sophistication from their brands. At the high-end of the retail sector, that means developing a robust online strategy to increase your brand’s online social influence. Luxury retailers like Nordstrom are confounding the marketplace by outperforming other retailers in today’s sluggish economy.

Currently offered for New York City only, but coming to 100 U.S. cities soon, Poorsquare takes foursquare's location and deals database to reveal the best offers by location. You can filter by free only, free with purchase or all discounts.

A number of merchants including Burberry, H&M and Macy's have launched brand pages on Google+. As of Nov. 8, Burberry had 12,349 followers, H&M had 10,383 and Macy's had 10,767. According to the official Google blog, "So far Google+ has focused on connecting people with other people. But we want to make sure you can build relationships with all the things you care about — from local businesses to global brands."

Google Catalogs has doubled its collection of catalogs to include more than 100 brands and 300 individual catalogs from brands such as Williams-Sonoma, Sephora and Nordstrom.

Social media isn't just about connecting people with people. It's also about selling people stuff. The launch of Google+ Pages is an attempt to make that social network more useful for businesses, allowing businesses and plus users to connect via Google Hangouts and to +1 businesses and so forth.

Way before any stockings are hung by the chimney with care, online retailers should map out a strategy that will provide a competitive edge during the tough holiday selling season. These tips for winning in the fourth quarter can be employed at any time. However they have particular significance during the holidays when performance can make or break the year.

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.