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The National Retail Federation (NRF) had forecast that Father's Day spending would shrink this year, reaching just $12.5 billion. But it looks like the smallest of gift-giving holidays fared better than expected.

According to IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark, a real-time, cloud-based digital analytics platform, overall U.S. retail online sales for the week leading up to Father's Day — June 9-15 — climbed more than 14% compared to the same period last year.

Atlanta — Online shoppers want retailers to make it easier to purchase their goods and services, and also want websites and stores to work better together. For now, according to a new survey of 5,800 consumers from UPS and comScore Inc., they also prefer to evaluate and purchase products from their desktops rather than their mobile devices, and when it comes to shipping and returns, "free" is a driving factor to complete the sale.
 

A new app from Seattle-based Shoppost bills itself as the first in-stream e-commerce app that lets online retailers sell via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+.

Shoppost is a free app that gathers product information and pulls it into an interactive post that can be shared via social channels in a few clicks. The app is available for free to sellers who use BigCommerce and Shopify with additional e-commerce platform support rolling out in the near future, according to the company.

By Eric Larson, Chief Revenue Officer, HelloWorld

The retail industry has experienced a massive shift in recent years, with mobile and social technology bringing both change and opportunity in how consumers research, browse and buy. With today’s new level of price transparency, and the competition always just a tap away, retailers are feeling the pressure.

Back in September, Pinterest unveiled plans to experiment with Promoted Pins. Now, the social media site is working with a small group of brands in the U.S. to roll out a paid test in its search and category feeds.

“These brands will help us test Promoted Pins to make sure they’re tasteful, transparent, relevant and improved based on your feedback,” said product manager Julie Black, adding, “so that Pinterest continues to be a great experience for everyone.”

New York -- Internet scrapbooking cite Pinterest Inc. is expanding its efforts to allow advertisers pay to more prominently display their pins, the San Francisco-based company announced in a blog past on Monday.

The company said it is working with a small group of brands to roll out a paid test in its search and category feeds. The group includes Target, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Lululemon Athletica.
 

By Sunil Mirani, CEO, Ugam

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market claimed the honor for best brand on Pinterest at the Shorty (the Shorties) Awards on April 7. The Shorties are an annual awards event that honors the best short-form content creators on Twitter and on other social media sites.

Whole Foods Market joined Pinterest in 2011, and currently has 180,000 followers.

Founded in 2007, Julep is a fast-growing omnichannel beauty brand that takes a social approach to product development. The brand, which is perhaps best known for its monthly beauty box delivery program, has raised $30 million in Series C financing.

New investors Azure Capital, Madrona Venture Group and Altimeter Capital, as well as existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Maveron, participated in the round. The new investment brings Julep's total venture funding to $56 million.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores has debuted its new brand campaign, based on the word “Yes.” A 60-second commercial, featuring designer Vera Wang, unveils the “Yes” campaign using striking visuals and artists’ renderings of the letters “Y,” “E,” and “S.”