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Armonk, N.Y.  -- Online U.S. retail sales for August 2014 were up more than 11% as compared to the same period the prior year. According to new IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark data, mobile traffic accounted for 41.5% of all online traffic, up 34% compared to the same period the previous year.

Nordstrom Inc. has become the first retailer to launch the Like2Buy platform, which allows Nordstrom.com customers to directly purchase items featured on the retailer’s Instagram page. The commerce-enablement of visually oriented social platforms, such as Instagram, Pinterest and Vine, is an inevitable development as social media becomes more focused on photos and videos and less on text. The preference most Millennials have for visually oriented social media reinforces the value that commerce enabling these platforms has for retailers.

Nordstrom is partnering with Curalate to launch Like2Buy, a platform that aims to offer consumers a more seamless shopping experience via Instagram.

Grand Rapids. Mich. – Meijer is reportedly focusing on making its apparel, footwear and accessories assortment more appealing to fashion-conscious customers. According to the Detroit News, Meijer is taking steps including redesigning its stores, hiring outside consultants and launching a multimedia marketing campaign to improve the appeal of apparel and related categories.

Los Angeles -- Paid search programs are the most popular online customer acquisition tactic. According to the 2014 Shop.org/Forrester Research Inc. State of Retailing Online study, which surveyed 81 retailers in May and June 2014, 85% of retailers cite search engine marketing as one of the most effective customer acquisition tactics.

The retail industry is awash with digital innovations, but traditional paid search programs continue to dominate retailers’ digital marketing tactics, according to the 2014 Shop.org/Forrester Research State of Retailing Online study.

San Francisco - Only 1.7% of products are posted on social commerce properties. In addition, according to the Search and Social Commerce Index from predictive media optimization technology Kenshoo and semantic advertising company DataPop, even among products in their most popular product categories, retailers post only 7.2% of their products via social commerce.

GoJo Industries, the makers of Purell Advanced Hand Sanitizer, have issued a challenge to consumers to adopt 30 days of healthy habits by joining the Purell Advanced 30-Day Challenge.
 

6pm.com, the sister site of Zappos.com, which is owned by Amazon, is launching its first-ever live streaming fashion show and inviting the public to share via social media outfits inspired by the brand's top six summer trends: seaside sorbet, nautical by nature, athletic luxe, neutral notes, feminine flair and metallic madness.

The top 10 submitted looks will be featured in the Style by 6pm.com Summer Fashion Show, with winners receiving a $250 6pm.com e-gift card.

Las Vegas – Online discount apparel and footwear retailer 6pm.com is launching its first-ever live streaming fashion show and inviting the public to share summer outfits, inspired by the brand's top six summer trends: seaside sorbet, nautical by nature, athletic luxe, neutral notes, feminine flair and metallic madness. The top 10 submitted looks will be featured in the Style by 6pm.com Summer Fashion Show, with winners receiving a $250 6pm.com e-gift card.