Shopping's Future Is High-Tech

Sales up 22% to $1.25B

(NEWSER) - This year's Cyber Monday was the biggest day in the history of online shopping, with a record $1.25 billion in sales, up from $1.03 billion last year, according to research firm comScore. Online sales were very strong all through the holiday weekend, but the following Monday "is increasing in importance, with virtually all retailers getting involved and more consumers knowing it for big discounts," a comScore analyst tells the Wall Street Journal . More»

... and store websites may change to accommodate them

(NEWSER) - Marketing in the modern age: It seems tablet users make the best online shoppers, reports the Wall Street Journal . Industry stats put the coveted "conversion rate" at 4% or 5% for tablet users vs. 3% for PC users. What's more, perhaps because tablet users tend to be wealthier, people who buy things with them tend to place bigger orders than those using a PC or smartphone. More»

$41.2B weekend total beats 2008 haul by $1.2B

(NEWSER) - Thanksgiving weekend retail sales totaled $41.2 billion, a .5% jump over last year's $41 billion, but the average shopper spent 8% less than in 2008, $343.31 against $372.57. Discounts, especially on electronics and toys, were the overwhelming attraction as cautious consumers pried open their wallets, Bloomberg reports. Retailers "know they have their work cut out for them to keep people coming back through Christmas," said the head of the National Retail Federation. More»

Retailers scramble to establish presence in mobile marketplace

(NEWSER) - Today's Black Friday finds about 1 in 5 shoppers—double that for the 18-to-29 age set— using a smartphone to track bargains and compare prices. While the number of those who actually buy using a mobile device is relatively small—at $750 million, such transactions account for only .5% of online sales—expect it to surge soon as stores see green and scramble to add mobile sites. Toys R Us, Victoria's Secret, and American Eagle are just a few of the recent converts. More»

A list of retail strategies to do good while you buy

(NEWSER) - Want to do some shopping and do some good—at the same time? Sandy Stonesifer, writing for Slate, offers some ways to buy for the betterment of humanity:

• Go for products that donate a portion of proceeds to charity—like Product (Red) iPods, which give to the Global Fund, and pink playing cards, which donate to breast cancer research.
• Web sites like Goodshop let you send a piece of your purchase price to charities.