Retail

By Bill Loller, VP, IBM Smarter Commerce

The mobile revolution has ushered in a new era in retail shopping, transforming the experience into a quick, easy and hyper-personal exchange which is all conducted from the touch of a mobile device. As the trend and spending power behind online shopping continues to grow, brick-and-mortar locations are tasked with finding ways to incorporate mobile technology into the in-store experience in order to stay relevant, competitive and alive.

According to Shop.org, more than half (55%) of all retail-related Internet time in June 2013 originated on smartphones and tablet devices combined, compared with just 45% originating from desktop devices. 

Shop.org teamed up with comScore and the Partnering Group to generate the report, released at Shop.org's Annual Summit, which found that smartphone Internet usage in June 2013 totaled 44% of retail Internet minutes, up from 17% in June 2010. Tablet internet usage accounted for 11% of total minutes on retail sites.

Washington, D.C. -- More than half (55%) of all retail-related Internet time in June 2013 originated on smartphones and tablet devices combined, compared with just 45% originating from desktop devices. According to a report produced in partnership by the National Retail Federation (NRF) with comScore and The Partnering Group and released at Shop.org's Annual Summit, smartphone Internet usage in June 2013 totaled 44% of retail Internet minutes, up from 17%in June 2010. Tablet internet usage accounted for 11% of total minutes on retail sites.

Rochester, N.Y. - Teamsters Local 118 members on Monday overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer from Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. that would eliminate the pensions of more than 900 Rochester employees and not provide health care for their spouses. Local 118 will immediately request the participation of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to settle the outstanding contract.

Amazon is getting ready for the holiday shopping rush and creating more than 70,000 full-time seasonal jobs across its U.S. fulfillment centers to meet an increase in customer demand — a 40% increase over last year’s seasonal hires. 

In 2012, Amazon converted thousands of seasonal employees into regular, full-time roles after the holidays, and expects to do the same this year. On average, seasonal employees earn 94% of Amazon fulfillment center employee starting wages and are eligible for health care benefits.

By Jim Hogan, [email protected]

Chicago -- SMS Assist announced it has appointed Geoffrey Wigner as executive VP of facilities for the Chicago-based technology-driven facilities maintenance and management company.
 

New York – At least three law firms and a settlement claims filing service have filed class action suits  on behalf of purchasers of Francesca's Holdings Corporation common stock during the period between March 20, 2013 and September 3, 2013. Suits filed by law firms Morgan & Morgan, Federman & Sherman, and Ryan and Maniskas, LLP, as well as by The Shareholders Foundation, Inc., in the District Court for the Southern District of New York allege violations of federal securities laws in regard to poor second quarter financial results released on Sept.