Home Depot

Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is about to propose sweeping legislation that would impose a tax on all online purchases in a move aimed at closing states' budget shortfalls. Durbin's bill, dubbed the Main Street Fairness Act, intends to push online retailers to collect state sales tax on items purchased out of state. For more than a decade internet shoppers have enjoyed a sales tax holiday as a result of sales tax moratoriums established in 1998 to foster growth in the digital sales business. But with e-commerce businesses like Amazon.com no longer fledgling entities, and with states' budget deficits growing, imposing an e-commerce sales tax has become a hot-button issue.

All sorts of merchants are experimenting on Facebook. But does this mean Facebook is en route to becoming a major e-commerce player? Forrester Research analyst Sucharita Mulpuru says the answer is a resounding “No.”

At Home Depot stores in North Jersey, it's beginning to look a lot like Black Friday. Specially priced merchandise is stacked and ready to be rolled out on the sales floor. Seasonal workers have been hired and advertising fliers announcing door-buster deals are ready. Welcome to Black Friday, the spring version.  

Baby boomers, college students, young professionals, empty nesters — you name a demographic, it's represented on Facebook. As a result, social networking sites, particularly Facebook, present tremendous opportunities for supporting your strategic needs for new customer acquisition every day.

For years marketers have cited the success of 2-D barcodes overseas and eagerly waited (and waited) for them to take hold in the U.S. Thanks to prominent endorsements from Target, Best Buy, Macy's and Post Cereals, that day might finally be nearing.

Home Depot has rolled out a nationwide mobile barcode program to influence purchase intent in-store and drive consumers to its locations via digitally-enhanced direct mail pieces and print ads.

Struggling to fend off increasing competition, Sears is borrowing a page from the marketing playbook of products like soft drinks and soup by naming its rivals in aggressive advertising.

Home Depot is getting ready for its own version of Black Friday. For the second year in a row, the DIY heavyweight will roll out regional promotions that include doorbusters, as well as special pricing on lawn and garden, patio furniture, and grills.

Sears Holdings Corp.'s appointment of a new CEO rich in technology expertise but short on retail experience is leaving many wondering what direction the owner of the struggling Sears and Kmart stores is heading. The appointment of Lou D'Ambrosio came just hours before Sears reported another weak quarter, even though results from competitors Target Corp., Kohl's Corp. and Home Depot this week show shoppers are spending more.

Lowe's gave a lackluster outlook for the current quarter despite strong fourth-quarter results, and its shares fell. The company, which recently laid off about 1,700 middle managers, expects first-quarter earnings of 34 cents to 38 cents a share, while analysts were expecting 38 cents a share.