Consumer Electronics

Transwestern's Southeast Investment Services Group representedKentucky-based Langley Properties Co. in the disposition of Pelican Place at Craft Farms for$18.5 million.Atlanta-based RCG Ventures acquired the 229,911-sq.-ft. shopping center located inGulf Shores, Alabama.

Transwestern VPFred Victorrepresented the seller in the transaction. RCG was represented in-house byScott Tarbet, VP of acquisitions.

Star Wars merchandise is shaking up the busy fall retail season, according to a new report.

According to new research from 360pi, between Sept. 4 and 10, Star Wars-themed toys comprised nearly two in 10 of the daily top 100 best selling toys on Amazon, dethroning bestsellers Cards Against Humanity, Crayola and Exploding Kittens, and replacing traditional Lego items with Star Wars-themed versions.

The overwhelming majority of merchants are not ready for the shift to EMV. 

Only 27% of U.S. merchants will be EMV-ready by the October 1st liability shift, down from the 34% estimated in March, according to a survy by The Strawhecker Group (TSG).

By December 2015, 44% of U.S. merchants are expected to adopt EMV, however EMV-readiness will not reach a threshold of least 90% until 2017— more than 15 months after the shift.

Seattle — Amazon.com is heating up its selection of consumer devices and digital content. The online retailer is releasing several new Amazon Fire tablet and TV devices, and also introducing a new free digital content service called Amazon Underground.

A week after Apple announced its Apple TV live video streaming set-top box device, Amazon is introducing Apple Fire, a similar live video streaming device that will cost $99 ($50 less than the $149 starting price for Apple TV) and offer similar features such as voice-enable remote control.

NFC-enabled contactless mobile payments, such as those enabled by smartphone-based digital wallet services like Apple Pay and Android Pay, currently make up a tiny fraction of card transactions. However, a new study from Indian mobile solutions provider Mahindra Comviva suggests contactless mobile payments are set to grow quickly.

Amazon.com is priming consumers in southern California for fast delivery.

Amazon’s Prime Now one-hour delivery service, has expanded to Los Angeles and Orange County, including areas such as Santa Monica, Redondo Beach, Silver Lake and Irvine.

To support this expansion of Prime Now, Amazon has established four Prime Now hubs in southern California to serve its Prime members with superfast delivery on tens of thousands of items including paper towels, chilled and frozen items like milk and ice cream, and televisions and Kindle devices.

Best Buy is looking to keep its customers as connected as possible, with a little help from AT&T.

Starting this month, new AT&T shop-within-a-shops at select Best Buy stores will provide what the two companies are calling a “#ConnectedLife” experience.

Sears Holdings has turned to a veteran of tech and innovation companies to lead the business unit in charge of the company's most iconic brands.

The company has named Tom Park as president of the retailer's Kenmore, Craftsman & DieHard division.