Omnichannel

Amazon.com is the most popular U.S. online retail site when it comes to having Web content shared on Pinterest in the run up to Christmas 2013.

In a study of 10 top US retail sites, images and pages from Amazon.com are being shared most frequently on Pinterest, with Walmart and Apple taking second and third positions, respectively. According to a study conducted by digital marketing software and services specialist Searchmetrics, content from Amazon.com currently generates 16,360 pins per week, Walmart generates 5,778 pins per week and Apple generates 3,871.

Walmart declared an early Black Friday victory and reported record Cyber Monday sales, but the big box retailer is not done yet. Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, it is launching its Christmas Countdown Savings Event and dropping prices on popular toys, electronics, apparel and table games.

With only 12 days to shop before Christmas, the strategy aims to drive last-minute shoppers to both its stores and e-commerce site.

New York – Barnes & Noble is offering free shipping on any Nook e-reader device purchased online by 11 a.m. ET on Dec.23, with delivery guaranteed by Dec. 24. In addition, Barnes & Noble loyalty members get free express shipping on orders placed online by Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. ET, with guaranteed delivery by Dec. 24.

Strategic brand and design firm Chute Gerdeman has named Jim Crawford as VP of technology and experience design — a newly created position.

Crawford will be charged with integrating next-generation technology into the shopping experiences and store designs that Chute Gerdeman creates for its clients.

Waltham, Mass. – Personalization software company True Fit has become a Demandware Link Technology Partner. Through the Link Technology Partner Program, True Fit has developed a pre-built integration between its fit technology platform and Demandware Commerce.

Analysis from price intelligence firm Profitero showed that Amazon.com makes more than 2.5 million price changes every day, compared with a little more than 50,000 total price changes made by brick-and-mortar retailers Walmart and Best Buy throughout November.

Profitero’s analysis also revealed that Amazon.com has increased its number of daily price changes 10-fold during the last 12 months. At the beginning of December 2012, the online retailer implemented just 269,113 price changes.

Ulta Beauty posted strong double-digit gains during its third quarter thanks in part to strength in sales of prestige cosmetics and skin care and strong online sales.

Sales for the quarter ended Oct. 27 rose 22.4% to $618.8 million. Same-store sales rose 6.8%, including the impact of e-commerce sales.

Net income increased 19.1% to $45.4 million compared with $38.2 million. Income per diluted share rose 18.6% to 70 cents per share, including 2 cents per diluted share related to a severance charge.

By Brett Conradt, [email protected]