Sears has launched SearsLocalAd.com, an online service that provides customers with access to additional local deals beyond the weekly Sears print circular or Sears.com.

First quarter sales at the leading online retailer surged 34% to $13.2 billion during the first quarter ended March 31, as the company continues to enjoy a huge competitive advantage by allowing customers to avoid paying sales tax.

Target and other retailers have fought unsuccessfully for years to level the e-commerce playing field in the United States by requiring Amazon.com and other online-only merchants to collect sales tax. Doing so would eliminate the Internet-pure-play retailers’ most significant competitive advantage, and for a glimpse of just how significant look no further than Canada.

While intentions aren't always equal to results, if NRF's predictions are correct, consumers will be shelling out quite a bit of cash this Easter.

Consumers trust retailers will provide them with safe, effective products -- no easy task when one considers the numerous items any given company can sell. This is especially true for such retailers as Wal-Mart Stores, which has approved a partnership with SGS for safety and compliance testing for all wireless and automotive products sold through Walmart and Sam's Club, both in store and online, for the U.S. market.

Retailers hoping to see a boost in sales this tax season may be out of luck as more Americans this year plan to save their refunds.

Advance Auto Parts achieved record sales, profits and store expansion last year and with many of the economic factors that contributed to its 2011 success, expected to remain in place this year expectations are high that 2012 will be another one for the record books.

SymphonyIRI Group on Tuesday unveiled its latest segmentation solution called DigitaLink, which leverages SymphonyIRI’s Consumer Network Panel, MarketPulse research and analytic capabilities to segment shoppers into unique profiles, enabling suppliers and retailers to better manage marketing efforts with online consumers.

Although online sales grew 15% from 2010 to 2011, many retailers' online ordering, shipping and returns processes failed to keep pace, according to management consultancy Kurt Salmon's rankings of 50 retailers.

An e-commerce solution for branded manufacturers has released a new forecast on how retail shopping will be influenced by the Internet, in addition to mobile and social networking.

Marketing claims about the lowest prices on the season on limited quantities for limited times are common throughout the holidays as retailers look to create a sense of urgency and close the sale with consumers. But haven’t consumer grown wise to these tactics?