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Amazon tipped to launch online wholesale store called Pantry in 2014
While Amazon has no shortage of rivals, it's now reportedly gearing up to take on big players in the warehouse store business, like Costco. According to USA Today's anonymous sources, Amazon is prepping the launch of an online service called Pantry that'll initially carry around 2,000 common grocery items to be sold at low cost. As long as you're an Amazon Prime member, you'll be able to fill a box up with Pantry goods that the retailer will ship for a nominal fee, assuming you're within the weight limit. Amazon hasn't commented on the report, so while there's no firm word on when you can start shopping in your bathrobe for month-long supplies of canned goods, sources say it'll be sometime in 2014. [Image credit: Mike Seyfang/Flickr]
eBay introduces celebrity-curated collections, expands same-day delivery
Starting today, eBay is introducing a new feature designed to streamline your shopping experience: curated collections. Basically, curators handpick products from eBay's database and arrange them into collections; as part of the initial push, the company is including a few relatively big names among its list of "expert curators" like Solange Knowles, Pharrell Williams and Kelly Oxford, with the best of the best featured on the new eBay Today page. You'll also be able to customize your profile by following your favorite collections, users and interests. Additionally, eBay announced in-store pickup for select retailers (only Toys R Us and Best Buy to start) and the expansion of its same-day delivery service, eBay Now, to 25 markets by the end of 2014, including Chicago, Dallas and London. And if you're as busy as a bee, you'll be happy to know that scheduled delivery is coming at some point in the near future. For more info, check out the press release after the break.
Walmart starts grocery delivery service in Denver, makes it easier to never leave home again (video)
Oh, boy. Local mom-and-pop shops in Denver aren't going to like this: Walmart's looking to increase pressure on local businesses by delivering groceries straight to your waiting arms. Yes, that includes fresh produce, as well as dry and frozen items, which will surely make workaholics (and shut-ins) out there happy. The Walmart To Go service has been shuttling perishable goods to people's doorsteps in San Francisco and San Jose for the past two years, but it's only now that Denver's getting the special treatment. If doing your grocery shop before 8am (to ensure same-day delivery) sounds like your way to buy bulk oats, feel free to register at Walmart To Go's website and pray you get picked for the closed beta. The bad news is that the big box chain has yet to greenlight its crowdsourcing delivery idea, so there's still no chance to make friends through mutual love of giant retail chains.
Etsy reworks guidelines: sellers can now hire outside staff and manufacturers
Etsy, the online marketplace for DIYers, just announced several changes to its seller policies, giving store owners significantly more control over how they run their businesses. Going forward, sellers will be able to hire as many employees as necessary, as well as use outside companies to deliver their products and outsource manufacturing to third parties (provided they receive Etsy's approval). Most notably, these changes allow for a wider definition of "handmade" -- now, the idea for an item simply must originate with the seller. This means 3D-printed items can carry the prized handmade distinction, for instance. And this change isn't just about semantics; previously, Etsy customers could assume items that didn't look handmade were breaking the site's rules and consequently steer clear.
Game on! Razer to honor fake 90 percent off coupon
The internet is often renowned for its amazing bargains, but in the uncharted waters of cyberspace the best deals are usually too good to be true. This isn't one of those times. Recently, a bogus coupon for 90 percent off at Razer's UK store went viral, which resulted in a frenzy of online purchases. While internet scams are all too common, the company's response to this matter is somewhat shocking. Instead of canceling the shady orders, Razer has decided to honor them, but with some limitations. The company will uphold the discount on individual purchases for different products, but void repeat transactions on the same item. Due to some back-ordered items, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan warned that it'll take a few months to fulfill all the orders, and professed that his outfit would incur "an insane amount of losses" in doing so. Good form, Mr. Tan, but we can't help but cringe when trying to fathom how many of these were sold for around £11.
Google's BufferBox delivery lockers to arrive in San Francisco 'very soon'
San Francisco is getting all sorts of delivery options courtesy of its friends in Mountain View. Not only has The City by the Bay been graced by Google's same-day delivery Shopping Express pilot, but it'll soon see kiosks from BufferBox, a startup offering lockers for stowing online purchases, which the search giant acquired last year. A fresh notice on the outfit's website proclaims, "We're coming to California, specifically the San Francisco Bay Area very soon!" Page and Co. haven't said if the lockers will be integrated with Shopping Express, but we wouldn't be surprised if they gave the boxes a prominent part in the service. If you're itching to find out when the containers begin populating San Francisco, hit the source link below to sign up for an alert from BufferBox.
Reuters: Walmart looking into crowd-sourcing online delivery
Walmart is considering the slightly insane sounding idea of using its in-store customers to deliver online orders to help it compete with bricks and mortar-less competitors like Amazon, according to Reuters. The big box outfit currently ships internet purchases from just 25 of its stores using the likes of FedEx to handle delivery, but plans to drastically increase that number going forward. In theory, customers could sign up for the chore and drop packages off to customers who are on their route home in exchange for a discount. CEO Joel Anderson he could "see a path to where this is crowd-sourced," adding that "this is at the brain-storming stage, but it's possible in a year or two." Naturally, there's a gauntlet of insurance, theft, fraud and legal issues Walmart would need to run first -- along with the slightly skeevy idea of having a random stranger show up with your packages.
This is the Modem World: The internet used to be better
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. Back in the '90s -- before many of you were born -- the internet was much better than it is today. I'm only halfway kidding, too. Let me explain. At the time, we were sure anything was possible. We were also pretty stupid. We launched sites that just sold socks. Others sold balls. Social networking was just something we did -- we didn't need a site or a name for it. We were happy to go out at night and create real-life memes over drinks regarding the 2-minute video that took all afternoon to download.
Google introduces its Zavers digital coupon service
Didn't think there were enough coupon services? Well, Google thinks it can do it right with its new Zavers "digital coupon solution." The big G claims that its take on discounts and deals allows companies to measure customer habits and coupon usage stats to better target their campaigns. But, what does it mean for shoppers? They can find the coupons relevant to them on specific retailer websites and add them to an online account. When they hit the checkout with a full basket, the discounts are automatically accounted for. Zavers is also integrated with Google Wallet, as long as you use it to pay for items in-store. We're not sure exactly how this will work yet, but we'll just have to wait until Zavers is properly up and running.
Google buys BufferBox, might give Amazon Locker a run for its money
Google has just snapped up BufferBox, a Waterloo, Ontario-based startup that offers temporary lockers for online purchases much like the ones recently deployed by Amazon. Instead of 7-Elevens and RadioShacks however, the relatively young startup has only just started a deal to install parcel kiosks in Canada's Metrolinx GO Transit stations. The Mountain View company hopes to keep BufferBox alive through the acquisition, with plans for 100 kiosks in Greater Toronto and Hamilton in the next year. Of course, we can't help but think this could all be part of Google's master plan for a rumored same-day delivery service that might make Amazon a touch nervous. Hopefully this means future Nexus deliveries will be a just little faster, eh?
The iPad as a shopping venue
Black Friday online shopping uncovered a surprising theme -- the iPad is a popular tool for browsing and buying products on the Internet. Darcy Travlos at Forbes took a look at the data and found some tidbits that point to an interesting conclusion; "e-commerce may become the killer app for the iPad." As Travlos points out, it's not that there are more iPads out there than any other tablet -- iPads only have a slight edge in installed base at 52 percent of the market share to 48 percent for Android tablets. But that 52 percent of installed base accounts for 88.3 percent of all of the tablet online shopping. Travlos speculates that the screen size of the iPad has a lot going for it, in particular in terms of watching video ads that are very effective on tablets. She mentions that online shopping is extremely popular during leisure hours, and that "if shoppers arrive through iPads, retailers and advertisers will notice and allocate resources appropriately. This is just one more area where Apple is building up an ecosystem around creating delightful user experiences."
'Tis the season: Amazon now offering customizable video gift cards from JibJab
Amazon announced a partnership with digital media company JibJab on Friday that will introduce free, personalized video gift cards to its customers. This new feature gives you the option to attach pictures to over 50 pre-themed videos, which includes holidays, birthdays and other special occasions. Customers can load up to $2,000 on a video gift card, which can be sent instantly or at a scheduled date and time via email or a Facebook wall post. The cards never expire and recipients can share their videos through Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or email, while keeping the gift's cash value private. So, if gift cards from the people with the smile on the box rank high on your holiday wish list, get ready to have your inbox hit with a barrage of disco grannies and snowball-throwing elf cat videos.
Google Catalogs makes web-based catalog browsing a reality
For folks who prefer to get their retail therapy in digital form, Google Catalogs is a godsend. In case you forgot, it's an aggregation portal with digital catalogs from myriad merchants that lets you browse retailer wares without killing trees and now it's available on the web. When Catalogs first debuted, it was only available as a tablet app for iPad or Android. The new web-based catalog browser, however, lets users peruse wares from over 300 merchants -- including Crate&Barrel, Brookstone and even Fredrick's of Hollywood -- on any device with an internet connection. The holiday season's approaching folks, so head on down to the source and get your shopping out of the way early -- or, at least flesh out your personal wish list.
Daily iPhone App: Slice helps you track your online purchases
Slice is for the online shopper who likes to have everything right at his or her fingertips. If you take the time to set it up, the app will quickly become the central hub for your online purchases. You can organize your online receipts, track packages and even monitor recent purchases for price drops so you can request a price match refund. The key to Slice's success is your email account. Once you grant Slice access to your account, it will scan your emails for order invoices and shipping notices. Slice finds your purchases and then stores them in your Slice Purchase History. Using this information, the app can analyze your receipts and allow you to see where you are shopping and what you are buying online with its new "Thingerprint" feature. Slice also tracks your packages and alerts you when an item has been delivered. The Slice service is free, but it does require you to setup an online account. You also have to grant Slice access to your email account, which could make some people uncomfortable. The company says it scans your email only for order and shipping notices; other emails, which may contain personal information, are ignored. If you still have privacy concerns, you can always setup an email address that you use just for purchases. Slice also uses encryption to help keep your invoices safe. The latest version of Slice for iOS brings several new changes including email support for Hotmail, iCloud, and AOL email and a new Facebook Connect login if you're a Facebook user. You can also add shipments manually or by scanning the tracking barcode. I took the app for a test drive and was impressed at how it handled my purchases. I buy a lot of items online and the app did an excellent job picking out the order confirmations and shipping notices from a slew of spam. If you can get past the privacy concerns, Slice soon will become your favorite shopping companion. The Slice app is available for free from the iOS App Store. You can read more about the service on Slice's website.
Google Search As You Type gives retailer websites instant search
Google's search engine and its almighty Omnibox in Chrome have given the public instant search capabilities for some time, and now Google's sharing that same search goodness with its retail partners. Called Google Search As You Type, it's a pilot program providing AdWords advertisers access to Google's predictive and instant search on their own websites. That means customers can find what they're looking for more quickly and sellers can separate said buyers from their money faster than ever. Search As You Type is free for the first 25 million searches each year, so you'll likely be seeing this widespread on retail websites soon. That said, if you simply cant wait to witness your online retailing future, check out the video after the break.
Google shocker: American web company says web boosted American economy by $500 billion
Who knew that a company which makes a lot of money on the web would be keen to pitch the web as important to the US economy? Google thinks it's as natural as breathing, as it just took significant credit for fueling real-world shopping. About 97 percent of Americans reportedly searched online for a local business -- it's safe to say Google was involved in a lot of those hunts -- and spent an average of nearly $2,000 per person at brick-and-mortar stores last year. The search giant extrapolates to argue that the web pumped about $500 billion into the US economy, even while excluding internet-only sales. That's certainly a staggering number that shows how much of a cornerstone the internet has become for American business, although it comes across as slightly insecure: a company that's reportedly under tight scrutiny from regulators might be eager to show just how much good it's doing for the public in tough economic times.
Google rolls out Trusted Stores verification program for online retailers
Along with talking up 3D images and other new features for Maps, Google is pushing its new Trusted Stores program this week. The service, which has been in testing for the last nine months, monitors online retailers and awards those with good shipping and service records a "trusted" badge. In addition to giving online shoppers some reassurance that a vendor is, well, trustworthy, Trusted Stores will offer users assistance in resolving issues with sellers, plus up to $1,000 of purchase protection. For the retailers, the company says the value proposition is an increase in sales "by showing you're a great place to shop." Google will be rolling out badges for approved stores in the US starting today, and clicking on those little seals of approval will let you view a merchant's "report card" for shipping and customer service reliability.
EU online spending estimated to grow 16 percent, reach €232 billion in 2012
Pardon us Americans as we act surprised, but it turns out that we have one more thing in common with our Euro brethren: a growing number of us dislike shopping in stores. According to Kelkoo estimates, online spending in the European Union is projected to continue its upward trend, which is said to reach somewhere in the neighborhood of €232 billion before year's end. If the estimate holds, this would be a 16 percent increase over the €200 billion raked by e-tailers during 2011, and is naturally assumed to come at the expense of traditional brick and mortar outfits, whose growth is projected to increase by a mere 1.8 percent.The data gathered also suggest there's significant room for expansion, however, as online spending accounted for just 7.8 percent of all EU retail sales in 2011, with the UK, Germany and France being responsible for a whopping 71 percent of that tally. The 16 percent projected growth is a slight decline from 2011, which saw EU online spending grow by 18 percent -- although, Europe's growing habit for click-and-ship continues to outpace the US, which grew by only 12.8 percent in 2011. Now, since you've crammed all these numbers, why not check the funny pages?[Shopping button via Shutterstock]
Daily Update for January 3, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Engadget's Cyber Monday 2011 roundup
<div style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/engadgets-cyber-monday-2011-roundup/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/11/-2.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:4px;"/></a></div> <div> Didn't feel like brawling for two-dollar waffle makers at Wally World this past <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/engadgets-black-friday-2011-roundup/">Black Friday</a>? Don't fret, because Cyber Monday is just a few hours away -- there are literally only a few clicks between you and some awesome online deals. Best of all, you don't even need leave your abode or bear lines in the cold. Just like we did for BF, we've spotted some deals in advance and thrown 'em just past the break -- sure, it's only Sunday, but don't tell that to the retailers whose sales are currently ongoing! Unless you want to miss out on some chances to save on the gadgets you've been pining for, join us past the break for our full rundown. And as usual, if you spot anything we've missed, be sure to let us know in the comments. Ready. Set. Save!<br /> <br /> (<em>pssst: Don't forget to keep checking back, as we'll be constantly updating this post with even more deals as we come across them!</em>)<br /> <br /> <strong>Update (6:45PM ET 11/28):</strong> Now with even more deals!</div>
