E-Commerce

Microsoft is aiming to capitalize on the same local deals fever driving the popularity of Groupon and similar websites, with a new Bing “Deals” tab that lets mobile users access daily discounts in their particular area. Desktop Bing users have also been given the means to scan for local deals.

With more than 600 million active users on Facebook, the world’s largest social network is no longer just about liking brands when it comes to marketing. Today, Facebook users span various demographics and demand immediate value in return for demonstrating loyalty and joining new Facebook communities.

Kawasaki Motors U.K. has partnered with retail-integrated e-commerce provider Shopatron to launch a new online store stocked with the very latest Kawasaki branded clothing and merchandise.

Levi Strauss has opened an internet store on China's largest retail website Taobao as it seeks to grab a share of the fast-growing online consumer market. Levi's launched its flagship online store in China on the Taobao Mall platform.

Publishers HMV, HarperCollins, Penguin, and Random House are financing a new “social retail” service aiming to help readers find, buy and share books.

Fresh off a big win at the Oscars, Liberty Media booked higher revenues in its QVC and Starz businesses during the fourth-quarter, led by stronger e-commerce sales and improved across-the-board demand.

This Friday, Polo Ralph Lauren is launching its first RLX iPad app, and this being Polo there's no shortage of innovative elements to underscore the brand's athletic roots. 

Amazon has threatened to sever ties with more than 10,000 affiliates in California amid a dispute with the state over proposed taxation of internet purchases. Four state proposals aimed at forcing Seattle-based Amazon to collect taxes from residents may be unconstitutional and lead to job losses, Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president for global public policy, wrote in a letter to the California Board of Equalization.

There you are, minding your own business, buying something online, when a pop-up appears asking if you'd like to take part in a survey about your experience. There might have been a time when being asked for your opinion was in some measure gratifying, but for the most part, checking boxes on a form isn't a rewarding experience. It feels uselessly indirect if you have a specific grievance and pointlessly congratulatory if you’ve just purchased something.

U.K. accessories brand Accessorize opened its sixth American store by Union Square in New York City last month, and the company plans on opening four more locations in the Northeast by July.