ECOMMERCE

Not only is user-generated content (UCG) the go-to source for 90% of shoppers making a purchase — it outranks all other forms of marketing.   This is according to “Hearing the Voice of the Consumer: UCG and the Commerce Experience,” a report from TurnTo and executed by Ipsos. the report represents responses from more than 1,000 U.S. shoppers who made an online purchase in the past 12 months.  

Fast-growing mattress retailer Casper has closed on a new round of funding — with help from Target Corp.   

No visit to the University of Oregon is complete without a stop at The Duck Store.    The Duck Store opened its doors on the University of Oregon campus in 1920. (The Oregon Duck is the mascot of the University of Oregon's Ducks athletic program). It has since grown into a 13-store fleet, with outposts at sporting venues and malls. It also operates an online store that can be accessed via laptop or mobile devices. In fact, half of its Web traf-fic comes from smartphones and tablets.   

E-commerce has generated significant volumes of sales in the electronics and clothing industries, but has yet to gain traction in other retail sectors.  

The Bebe brand is undergoing a transformation — thanks to a new parent company.   Global Brands Group Holding Limited, a leading branded apparel, footwear, and fashion accessories company — and a spin-off of global exporter Li & Fung Ltd., is partnering with the Bebe brand to relaunch a new e-commerce platform. In addition, the company will redesign the brand’s international brick-and-mortar stores to better meet the heightened shopping expectations of Bebe’s consumers.  

A new market study finds that Costco Wholesale Club's online prices are lower than Amazon's -- and not by an insignificant amount.

Website accessibility is shaping up as the next big challenge for retailers with regards to ADA compliance.    A Miami federal judge has ruled that Winn-Dixie violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not making its website, which was recently updated, accessible to blind and visually impaired users, the Miami Herald reported. The Jacksonville, Florida-based supermarket chain has set aside $250,000 to revamp its online site and was ordered to pay the plaintiff’s legal fees, according to the report.  

Newegg is making a push to reach even more customers.   The tech-focused retailer is extending its online global reach to dozens of countries in key parts of Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Newegg’s expansion plan will ultimately help the retailer reach customers in a total of 50 countries, according to the company.