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2015 has been a good year for e-commerce. Alibaba shattered records on Singles Day with $14.3 billion in sales. India witnessed a boom in e-commerce investment from companies looking to win the millions of new smartphone users. Even the Girl Scouts joined the digital mix, rolling out version 2.0 of their Digital Cookie program to boost their online cookie sales. We expect even bigger things from 2016.

Pier 1 Imports says it is still confident in its omnichannel strategy despite a mostly flat third quarter in which the company struggled with the same soft store traffic impacting many other retailers.

For the third quarter ended Nov. 28, the specialty retailer said same store sales decreased 0.7%. Total sales decreased 2.5% (a 1.4% decrease on a constant currency basis) to $472.5 million, compared to $484.5 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2015. Net income $10.92 million, or 13 cents a share, vs. a profit of $17.86 million, or 20 cents a share, a year ago.

With the financial picture improving modestly at Toys “R” Us, CEO David Brandon said the company is ready to build on third quarter successes during the final days of the holiday season.

Lillian Vernon, who grew a home business selling monogrammed pocketbooks and belts, into one of America's best-known mail-order businesses, died on Monday. She was 88.

Vernon and her family came to the United States in 1937 as Jewish immigrants from Germany fleeing Hitler. She was newly married and pregnant with her first child when she started her business in 1951.

The Lillian Vernon Corp. was the first company owned by a woman to be listed on the American Stock Exchange, in 1987, according to the New York Times.

Mallgoers who need to see what’s happening at the North Pole before they believe in Santa Claus will have their doubts erased, thanks to J.C. Penney. According to Advertising Age, Penney is using Oculus virtual reality headsets in an immersive holiday promotional experience called “Twas the Flight before Christmas” at four select malls. Customers will be able to interact with a virtual “Santa’s Workshop” environment.

Food Lion is launching an omnichannel coupon initiative that combines fun with savings.

Now through Jan. 1, customers can access digital coupons through the Shazam smartphone app while shopping in Food Lion stores. Food Lion has partnered with interactive marketing firm Mood Media Corp. on the campaign.

Kohl's is pulling out all the stops in the hopes of increasing holiday sales this season by staying open through Christmas Eve.

Kohl's plans to keep its doors open for more than 170 hours straight from 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17 through 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 as an added convenience to holiday shoppers. In addition to extended store hours for last-minute shopping, customers will find special savings opportunities on Super Saturday, Dec. 19, and time-saving conveniences such as buy online, pick up in store for last minute gifts.

Shoppers making purchases from specialty jewelry retailer Pandora may find an unwelcome holiday greeting in their inbox.

According to a new advisory from cybersecurity firm Comodo’s Antispam Labs team, a malware attack is specifically targeting businesses and consumers who make purchases from Pandora, which is headquartered in Denmark but conducts operations globally, including in the U.S.

The value proposition of Perfumania stores is under scrutiny after the retailer reported dismal same store sale for the third quarter.

For the 13-week period ended Oct. 31, net sales at Perfumania decreased 8% to $142 million, compared to $154.3 million in the prior year. Same-store sales decreased 22.1%. Net income was $3 million, or net income per diluted share of 20 cents, compared to a net income of $7.5 million, or a net income per diluted share of 48 cents during last year’s third quarter.

Online shopping platform Bigcommerce has some big plans for enhancing the capabilities it offers retailers.

Bigcommerce has signed a strategic partnership with design firm Pixel Union that includes plans to deliver a re-architected, modern storefront development framework in first quarter 2016. The new development framework offers features including a local development environment, the ability to develop with a live store catalogue, and rapid preview and editing capabilities.