eCommerce

In a new video, Amazon.com is previewing what it calls the future of retail.

Amazon demonstrates a new drone model which will allow delivery of certain items within 30 minutes or less. The drone rises vertically like a helicopter to an altitude of almost 400 feet, and then can fly like a plane for a distance of about 15 miles.

Early indicators point to retailers having an historically strong Cyber Monday.

According to the Adobe Digital Index, as of 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 30, Cyber Monday online sales had already reached $490 million. Considering Cyber Monday online sales in 2014 reached a total of around $2 billion, and early Cyber Monday sales were tracking ahead of the prior year by 14%, this is a very possible start to a record-breaking day.

The stereotype of younger consumers spending all their time glued to smartphones may have some validity, at least when it comes to shopping.

When it comes to return policies, Nordstrom and Forever 21 couldn’t be further apart.

When retailers execute their IT and CRM strategies properly, the holiday shopping season is a joyous time of profits and customer engagement. But why let all the festivities end on Dec. 25?

By properly leveraging solutions and strategies, retailers can extend the season of consumer goodwill (and spending) right into the New Year. As “Cyber Week” fades into memory, let’s focus on the week (or weeks) after the end of the traditional holiday season. Here are three suggestions to keep that holiday spirit alive a little longer this year.

The Federal Trade Commission is poised to block Staples Inc.’s proposed take-over of rival Office Depot, according to the New York Post.

The newspaper reported that federal regulators are "leaning against the deal and are preparing to block it."

According to the report, the FTC is mostly concerned that a merger between the two office supply retailers will result in a single nationwide giant to serve big corporate and government clients.

The FTC has until Dec. 8 to decide whether to sue to halt the deal after extending its review.

Specialty cosmetics retailer Urban Decay is making its e-commerce site as accessible as possible to as many customers as possible.

Urban Decay has integrated e-Spirit's FirstSpirit content management system (CMS) with a Demandware e-commerce platform. The CMS allows Urban Decay to manage the proliferation of content, then localize that content for each individual site the retailer operates internationally, through a feature called "UD All Access.” Urban Decay worked with e-commerce services provider OSF Global Services to launch the new feature.

Digital media company Mashable and Visa are doing a little mashing of their own to launch a new online retail entity.