News

New York -- Amazon has quietly launched another hardware device, a  voice-recognition device called Echo that doubles as a high-tech music speaker. The 9-inch tall cylinder device sells for $199 but is available for $99 for a limited time to Prime members. It is designed around the user’s voice, which it can hear from across a room.   

Toys "R" Us Inc. on Friday announced an array of holiday marketing initiatives along with the news that its stores will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day Thursday, Nov. 27, the same time as 2013, and will remain open through 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, offering doorbusters and deals.

By John M. Pierre, Linguastat    The single greatest challenge that retailers face today is to have an individualized “conversation” with each customer and to do so on a global scale. Consumers expect a similar personalized experience regardless of channel, from the marketing offers they receive to the products that appear in search results.  

RetailMeNot reached an agreement with Samsung to be the exclusive digital offers provider on the new Samsung Gear S smartwatch.

The new Gear S smartwatch goes on sale later this month and the RetailMeNot digital offers app will be the only one of its kind on the watch and it is the first time the RetailMeNot app has been integrated into a touchscreen wearable device.

Dedham, Mass. -- Reflexis Systems Inc. announced that more than 50 retailers/brands, quick serve restaurants (QSR), and hospitality companies have selected real-time execution, workforce management, and advanced analytics solutions from Reflexis to date in 2014.   

Barnes & Noble is giving thanks to veterans this holiday season with a one-day, in-store-only Veterans Day offer of 15% off Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK and NOOK GlowLight devices. 

This offer is available to veterans, active duty military members and their families on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, at all Barnes & Noble stores nationwide.

Brisbane, Calif. –- Net loss at Bebe Stores Inc. increased to $10.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, up from $7.9 million the same period the prior fiscal year. Loss from discontinued operations boosted total net loss.   Net sales from continuing operations were $102.2 million, a decrease of 6.5% from $109.3 million, primarily as a result of store closures. Same-store sales grew 0.7%, the first quarterly same-store sales increased reported by Bebe since fiscal 2012.