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December 19, 2012 Sign up Forward Archive RSS Feed News about digital retail commerce   E-commerce Holiday Update  Amazon won't wait for Boxing Day in Britain Amazon will launch its U.K. "Boxing Day sale" on Christmas Day this year, driven by the large and growing number of consumers who log on to shop for digital content after receiving e-readers and tablets as gifts. British consumers spent £235 million shopping online on Christmas Day last year, up 17% from the year before. The Telegraph (London) (tiered subscription model) (12/17)      Retailers raise Twitter's role in holiday marketing The Wall Street Journal (12/16)      Toys R Us logistics chief is used to managing orders The Wall Street Journal (12/13)      Tablet-optimized site drives gift sales at Harry and David MobileCommerceDaily.com (12/17)      'Green Week' Outpaces 'Cyber Week' Pulse shows that 'Green Week' - from December 10th (Green Monday) to Sunday, December 16th - was the busiest seven day period of the holiday shopping season so far in terms of transaction volume. Online merchants saw high shopping volume throughout the week as responsible consumers acted to ensure free delivery before the holidays. Read more here.   Seasonal Trends  Online retailers booked $6.9 billion in sales last week Online retailers saw their busiest week in history, with nearly $7 billion in sales between Dec. 8 and 14, according to comScore. So far this season, online retail is up 13% compared to the same period last year. CNET/Internet & Media blog (12/16), VentureBeat/Business (12/16)      Online holiday retail growth settles down Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (12/18)      UPS, FedEx take rivalry to the next level this season The Wall Street Journal (12/13)      Gift-box makers see modest rise in demand The Wall Street Journal (12/13)        Shop.org Resources  Why the holidays aren't all about discounting Once-in-a-lifetime moments leave a lasting impression in shoppers' minds, driving positive word-of-mouth as well as spending. The Gap's "12 Days of Joy" promotion and the limited edition holiday line from Target and Neiman Marcus are just two ways retailers are creating exclusive merchandise and making a commitment to deliver a memorable customer experience to build customer loyalty without squeezing margins. Read more.      Same-day delivery: How far has the industry come? Pioneered by Circuit City back in 1999, the concept of same-day delivery and in-store pick-up is not new. But as more multichannel retailers have burst on to the retail scene, brands are embracing the move to implement optimized and streamlined delivery services, especially during the holiday season. In a post on the Shop.org blog, Executive Director Vicki Cantrell explains how this tactic isn't only boosting sales online, but in-store sales as well. Read more. Shop.org Blog (12/13)          Product announcements appearing in SmartBrief are paid advertisements and do not reflect actual Shop.org endorsements. The news reported in SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official position of Shop.org. Subscriber Tools       Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Grab our News Widget Publish your Press Release   Advertise Associate Publisher:  Dena Malouf 202-407-7837 Download Media Kit       Recent Shop.org SmartBrief Issues: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 Monday, December 17, 2012 Friday, December 14, 2012 Thursday, December 13, 2012 Wednesday, December 12, 2012     Lead Editor:  Megan Conniff       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004     © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information