Cyber Monday on track for US online shopping record

Cyber Monday was on track to bring in a record $7.8 billion in U.S. online sales, as millions of shoppers scoured for steep discounts on everything from Lego sets to big-screen TVs.

The marketing event was expected to pick up steam Monday evening as West Coast shoppers nab deals after work and those on the East Coast make purchases before bedtime, according to Adobe Analytics, which measures transactions from 80 of the top 100 US retailers.

"Many shoppers have waited on certain purchases, with three hours tonight expected to bring in as much revenue as an average full day," said Taylor Schreiner, director of Adobe Digital Insights.

Target Corp and Amazon.com Inc were pulling out all the stops, offering free delivery with no minimum order requirement and bombarding shoppers with promotional emails. Companies had logged $531 million in sales as of 10 a.m. ET (11 p.m. in Manila), Adobe Analytics found.

On Wall Street, investors showed their enthusiasm. Shares of Amazon closed up 5 percent. Macy's Inc, Kohls Corp and Target shares rose as well.

In another estimate, Mastercard SpendingPulse forecast a 25 percent jump in e-commerce sales to at least $3 billion, based on sales via the Mastercard payments network and estimates for other payment forms such as cash and check.

These US forecasts still paled in comparison to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's "Singles Day" earlier this month, when the Chinese e-commerce giant raked in $30.7 billion in sales.

Some industry observers saw a down side to the US shopping frenzy.

Bob Phibbs, chief executive of New York-based consultancy the Retail Doctor, warned of potential store closures if brick-and-mortar players discounted items too heavily this holiday season.

"Online discounts and free shipping are significantly cutting into retailers' profits," he said. "Retailers are just spending money in the hopes that they don’t lose too much more."

The promotional efforts also drew the ire of customers who complained they woke up to even more Cyber Monday emails than in years past.

"Yes retailers, I'm aware it's Cyber Monday even without the 150 emails," tweeted Keina (@RealMamaEagle), a user from Delaware.

DEEP DISCOUNTS ON TOYS

Drawing an estimated 75 million shoppers, the day was a test of retailers' online platforms and delivery operations.

Without the right IT infrastructure, the heavy traffic could have caused hours of glitches like those during Amazon's Prime Day marketing event in July.

But as of 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday, no big US chain had notable technical difficulties, according to outage tracker DownDetector.com. On Black Friday some websites including apparel retailer J.Crew and home improvement chain Lowe's Cos Inc had temporary outages.

Consumers are increasingly doing their holiday shopping online, diluting the importance of Black Friday, when shoppers traditionally flocked to brick-and-mortar stores for the best deals.

"I find Cyber Monday to be more convenient than Black Friday," said Jeissy Casilla, 23, a retail worker in Puerto Rico. "I think that Cyber Monday is better in terms of how much you can get done while doing so little - basically a better chance at the best deals."

Toys were expected to have the biggest discounts, Adobe Analytics said, as retailers rush to fill the void left by the bankruptcy of top US toy retailer Toys 'R' Us.

Target offered 30 percent off on select toys, while Kohl's discounted Lego sets between 30 percent and 40 percent.

"This year, retailers are much clearer about where their strengths lie, rather than just attempting to beat Amazon at its own game," said retail analyst Carol Spieckerman.

Social media conversation tracker Brandwatch said out of 13,000 social media mentions of #Cybermonday, the Apple Watch and the Red Dead Redemption 2 video game were two products that were highly discussed.

The National Retail Federation forecast US holiday retail sales, including online, in November and December will increase between 4.3 percent and 4.8 percent over 2017, for a total of $717.45 billion to $720.89 billion.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Amazon says some customer email addresses exposed

SAN FRANCISCO -- Amazon on Wednesday said that a website glitch accidentally exposed names and email addresses of some of the e-commerce giant's customers.

Amazon declined to disclose the extent of the software slip-up.

"We have fixed the issue and informed customers who may have been impacted," an Amazon spokesman said in response to an AFP inquiry.

There was no breach of Amazon systems or its website, and passwords were kept safe, according to the company.

As a precaution, messages were sent to customers affected by the website mishap letting them know their names and email addresses may have been disclosed by the Amazon website.

Amazon customers in the US and Europe have reported receiving messages from the company, according to tech news website TechCrunch.

The disclosure came on the cusp of the year-end holiday shopping season, with retailers online and in real-world shops offering "Black Friday" bargains pegged to the day after the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.

Amazon is the "undisputed e-commerce leader" in the US, with a 48 percent share of online sales here this year expected to equate to some $252 billion, according to analysts at eMarketer.

The market tracker forecast that total e-commerce sales in the US would jump 16.6 percent to $123.73 billion this holiday season as compared with the same period last year.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Black Friday rush

Shoppers rush to buy appliances as they compete for items on sale during the Black Friday sale at a store in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Thursday. The Black Friday sale is part of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Western countries.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

US shoppers browse stores, buy online as Black Friday deals beckon

CHICAGO/NEW YORK - US stores offered deep discounts, entertainment and free gifts to lure bargain hunters on Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday retail season, but some shoppers said they were just browsing the merchandise, reserving their cash for internet purchases.

Still, a sharp rise in online sales brightened the overall outlook for those traditional retailers that have expanded beyond brick-and-mortar outlets, sending their shares higher in day-after-Thanksgiving trading. Stores also had carefully managed inventory, seeking to ward off any post-holiday liquidation that would weigh on profits.

There was little evidence of the delirious shopper frenzy customary of Black Fridays from past years, even as some stores appeared to be getting creative with gimmicks besides heavy discounts to draw in customers.

No actual data for Friday's brick-and-mortar business was immediately available.

Despite anecdotal signs of muted in-store sales - fewer cars in mall parking lots, shoppers leaving stores without purchases in hand - consumers are still expected to spend more overall this holiday season than last, analysts and industry executives said.

Black Friday online sales totaled at least $3.54 billion by 8 p.m. EST (0100 Saturday GMT), up 15.6 percent from a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics, which measures transactions at the largest 100 U.S. web retailers. On Thanksgiving Day, U.S. shoppers spent more than $2.87 billion online.

Adobe projected internet sales would still reach a record $5 billion by the end of the night, with online retailers forecast to rake in an additional $6.6 billion on Cyber Monday.

Indeed, some chains struggled to keep up, with brief online outages experienced by Lowe's, H&M and the Gap, among others, according to website performance monitors.

Macy's Inc customers in several states, including Texas, Arizona and Illinois, took to social media to complain about the retailer's credit card processing system. The company acknowledged that processing was taking longer than usual in its stores and said it was working on the problem.

The hiccups dragged Macy's shares 0.6 percent lower in extended trading. They had ended the regular session up 2.1 percent, boosted by comments from Chief Executive Jeff Gennette, who told CNBC that Macy's was better off this year than last, had robust online demand and was in a good place for holiday promotions.

Macy's and J.C. Penney Co Inc did a better job of ordering and controlling inventory this time, according to Burt Flickinger, managing director of Strategic Resources Group, a consultancy with seven researchers out in the field.

"The turnout this morning has been relatively slow, but it is still the best we have seen in three years," Flickinger said, citing improving consumer confidence, a strong job market and healthy housing prices.

Fair weather across much of the nation also was factor, said National Retail Federation President Matthew Shay.

Some shoppers were enticed by the promise of spectacle, while others felt the pull of nostalgia.

"It's like a hangout, it's an experience," said Jonathan Lin, 17. "All my friends are back from college and we got together."

"There’s something nostalgic about being at the stores this early,” Jennifer Stasiak said at Chicago’s popular Oakbrook Center.

Not everyone found the Black Friday magic irresistible.

“I avoid the store, too many crowds,” said Elana Silverstein, 32, a school counselor enjoying a warm, sunny day at a Los Angeles park. Instead, Silverstein said, she bought several personal items on sale Thursday night through the online marketplace Groupon.

Major retailers generally traded higher on Wall Street. J.C. Penney climbed 0.6 percent and Wal-Mart Stores Inc edged upward. Amazon.com Inc closed up 2.6 percent at a record high.

Target Corp did not fare as well, with analysts noting that it closed its stores for several hours overnight while many rivals kept their doors open. Its shares fell 2.8 percent.

NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE

The period between the US Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas can make or a break a retailer, accounting for as much as 40 percent of annual revenue and leading many businesses to go the extra mile to stoke shoppers' interest.

Godiva gave out free chocolates, while Sephora offered face masks and perfumes. Dancers entertained Bergdorf Goodman shoppers, according to the New York Post.

Many chains, including Wal-Mart, Target, Macy's and J.C. Penney, opened stores on Thursday evening and most were offering extended deals online. Some started offering in-store deals earlier this week.

Macy's said some 16,000 shoppers were lined up outside its flagship Herald Square store in Manhattan when doors opened at 5 p.m. on Thursday for its Black Friday eve sale.

The deepest discounts included more than $200 off some Best Buy TVs; all bras across Victoria's Secret Pink stores priced at $25; half-priced video games at Target; and $50 off PlayStation 4 Pro gaming consoles at Wal-Mart.

Here and there were signs of the pandemonium for which Black Friday was long known.

A confrontation between two men in the parking lot of Willowbrook Mall in Houston left one shot and the other stabbed, though the origins of the clash and whether it was shopping-related was not immediately known, police said.

A false report of gunfire prompted shoppers to flee the Westland Mall in Hialeah, Florida. Stores reopened less than an hour later, a mall security supervisor told Reuters by phone.

Near Birmingham, Alabama, police broke up a fight on Thursday night between two women who may have been arguing over a sale item at the Riverchase Galleria, mall officials said.

The growing online shopping trend, led by Amazon, has forced the toy chain Toys R Us and apparel retailers True Religion, the Limited, Rue 21 and Payless Shoe Source to file for bankruptcy this year.

Still, traditional retailers earn the bulk of their revenue from in-store buys. Shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores can also be easier to tempt with impulse or add-on purchases than online browsers.

Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, was crowded but not chaotic. Shoppers came for deals with nothing specific in mind. Many enjoyed the experience of trying on clothes rather than shopping online.

A Macy's employee there said it was less busy on Friday because the store had been open, and packed, on Thursday.

"They’re all online," said Sarah Jones, 42, an employee at Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island. "I’ve worked in retail my whole life, trust me."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Apple expected to polish lineup with new iPhone

Apple on Wednesday is expected to introduce a new iPhone and perhaps a second-generation smartwatch as it polishes its lineup of devices to shine during the year-end shopping season.

The rumor mill has been grinding away with talk of iPhone 7 models that will boast faster chips, more sophisticated cameras, and improved software while doing away with jacks for plugging in wired headphones.

To assuage users accustomed to wired headphones, Apple could roll out accessories that include an adaptor that plugs into a remaining port.

The event would also be a chance to showcase wireless headphones, perhaps some from Beats, which Apple bought two years ago in a deal valued at $3 billion.

"Though not a completely redesigned smartphone, I do expect Apple to announce enough innovation to the new iPhone 7 devices to maintain its leadership," said Forrester analyst Thomas Husson.

"In particular, the timing would be ideal for Apple to leverage its Beats acquisition and deliver new headphones -- bundling voice-based services from Siri with an Apple Music subscription offering."

In Apple's usual enigmatic style, it provided little more that the date, time and place to the invitation-only gathering.

Apple has maintained a rhythm of introducing updated iPhone models on an annual basis, timing introductions to coincide with the year-end holiday shopping season.

In July, the company announced the sale of its billionth iPhone, a milestone for the company as it seeks to keep momentum in a competitive smartphone market.

"We see a large opportunity for the iPhone 7 when we consider the potential number of upgraders coming from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus," said Kantar Worldwide ComTech consumer insight director Lauren Guenveur.

"Virtually all of those who intend to upgrade have told us they will remain loyal to Apple, making the iPhone 7 an obvious choice."

Apple reported a drop in iPhone sales in the second quarter of this year, a second straight drop after uninterrupted growth since its introduction in 2007.

- Apple Watch time? -

California-based Apple could also use the event to showcase updates to other products, such as its smartwatch and laptop computers.

Speculation regarding an Apple Watch 2 was fueled in part by the fact that the original hardware has not been updated since it debuted in April of last year.

A new-generation smartwatch could play well into Apple's "ecosystem" of smartphones, apps, services and more but likely "won't be the disruptive new product that Apple needs," said analyst Husson.

Improved iPhone and smartwatch models would be arriving just as Apple is set to roll out a new version of the mobile operating system.

The event will come as Apple squares off with the European Union over a demand that the iPhone maker pay a record 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) in back taxes in Ireland.

Apple has vowed to fight the tax bill.

source: www.abs=cbnnews.com

New consoles, online games to keep market soaring

PARIS -- The global video gaming market is set to grow 11.1 percent a year until 2017, boosted by a new generation of consoles and the increasing popularity of online games, according to IDATE digital research and consultancy firm.

The market, estimated at 53.9 billion euros ($73.8 billion) this year, is expected to soar to 82.1 billion euros in 2017, the France-based firm said in a report.

Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, which are jostling for control of the gaming market, have each released the latest versions of their consoles ahead of the Christmas shopping season.

The wave of new devices is expected to keep the market buoyant until 2017, IDATE said.

Home consoles like Sony's PlayStation or Microsoft's Xbox, which make up 31 percent of the market today, are expected to have a 40 percent share of the total market in 2017.

Handheld consoles such as Nintendo's 3DS or Sony's PSVita, which have a share of about 22 percent in 2013, are projected to record declining share to 13 percent in 2017, in the face of increasing strong competition from tablets and mobile phones.

"Smartphones and tablets offer a radically different experience, and... in terms of the budget, the tablet is a significant competitor for the consoles," Laurent Michaud, who is in charge of gaming research at IDATE.

"The choice of purchase between the tablet and the console will determine the success of this generation of machines," he said.

The offline computer game is expected to record an irreversible decline, while this year online games are emerging as the leader.

The increasing popularity of online games stems from the fact that they dominate the gaming industry in China and South Korea, Michaud noted.

"They are games oriented towards 'Free2Play' and it is no surprise that they are gaining colossal success because the games are good," he said, referring to the downloadable games.

One example is the online game Candy Crush which records 700 million sessions a day and racks up daily sales of $850,000.

Online games are expected to record average growth of 11.4 percent while mobile gaming is seen progressing by 12.2 percent annually between 2013 and 2017.

Traditional game developers which are used to selling physical copies of their games on discs, have not been keeping pace with virtual ones.

Many were slow to exploit the phenomenal success of games played on social networks.

In December 2012, only Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Namco Bandai Games, Konami, Take Two Interactive et Disney Interactive Studio were present on Facebook.

They have also been slow to join on the smartphone and tablette bandwagon.

In December 2012, only Electronic Arts and Square Enix were among the top revenue generators on Apple's App Store. And only Electronic Arts and Take Two Interactive had games that ranked in the top 20 by revenues.

On Android Market, none of the traditional gave developers had games on the bestsellers' list.

IDATE sees these key players producing fewer and fewer blockbusters, which are also becoming more and more expensive to make.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sony's PlayStation 4 goes on sale in US

NEW YORK - The gaming unit of Sony Corp. on Friday launched its PlayStation 4 home gaming console in the United States and Canada ahead of other global markets, aiming to expand sales during the year-end shopping season amid fierce competition with rival consoles like Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox One.

The PS4, which features enhanced connectivity with social networks and mobile phones, is the successor of the PlayStation 3 console launched in 2006.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. will launch the PS4, priced at $399 in the United States, in Latin America and Europe later this month. It will hit the Japanese market on Feb. 22 priced at 41,979 yen.

The launch of the new gaming device is expected to further intensify competition among console manufacturers like Nintendo Co., which rolled out its Wii U console last year. Microsoft is set to release the successor to its Xbox360 console on Nov. 22.

In the April to September period, Sony incurred an operating loss of 15.6 billion yen in the gaming business. Placing the business as one of the pillars of its operations, the company is aiming to sell 5 million units of the new console this business year through March.

The PS4 is equipped with enhanced processing capability and graphics. The device allows users to upload videos of their game play to social networks in the midst of their games.

The console can also be used to download music and videos, according to Sony.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Black Thursday is the New Black Friday, But Will It Really Boost Sales?

It's beginning to feel like the retail industry expects us to wrap up our Thanksgiving dinners and take them to go.

Toys R Us, Best Buy (BBY), and Target (TGT) became the latest retailers to announce that they would be opening on Thursday -- or opening earlier on Thursday -- this pivotal holiday shopping season.
Toys "R" Us will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, three hours earlier than last year.
Best Buy will greet turkey-fueled shoppers at 6 p.m. with its slate of deals on consumer electronics.
Target -- after opening at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving last year -- will kick open the doors to its cheap chic stores at 8 p.m.
With so many retailers breaking into their holiday selling seasons on Thanksgiving, is it time to retire Black Friday?

Creeping Earlier

Last month it was Walmart (WMT) and Macy's (M) turning heads with their Thanksgiving night openings. Critics argued that it wasn't fair to make employees come in early on the holiday -- or to disrupt festive family fetes to woo shoppers -- but there's naturally another side to the story.

Employees hungry for more hours welcome the additional time on the clock that's often paid at a higher rate than their hourly wages. They have holiday gifts to shop for too, after all.

Nor are Shoppers universally panning the earlier "Black Thursday" sales. Many didn't consider it a treat to head out to stores at midnight or during the wee hours on Friday morning. Missing out on pumpkin pie, Uncle Nestor's story about how he was almost a member of The Beatles, or what should be meaningless game between the Ravens and Steelers may be easy sacrifices to make in exchange for the ability to sleep in Friday morning and still get the deals.

Blame It On the Calendar

Sears Holdings' (SHLD) Kmart has been opening on Thanksgiving for 22 years, and rivals didn't seem to care until the past few years. However, even Kmart came under attack earlier this year for its decision to open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving.

Why is Kmart leading retailers to open earlier this holiday season? You may as well blame the calendar.

Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, and this year, that just happens to be Nov. 28. That's the latest possible day for the holiday, making Nov. 29 the latest possible Black Friday.

It goes without saying that retailers live for the holiday shopping season. An attempt to combat the late start this year by opening their doors a day -- or at the very least a few hours -- earlier than usual almost makes sense.

Looking Out to Next Yeat

Retailers won't divulge their plans for 2014 until at least next October.

Thanksgiving 2014 will also happen relatively late -- Nov. 27 -- giving stores plenty of incentive to do anything possible to milk sales early in the season. If one retailer or another looks poised to lock up some holiday shopping lists with an earlier-than-ever sale, you can be sure that rivals will be quick to keep up.

However, the biggest factor determining if retailers' operating hours continue to creep earlier into Thanksgiving Thursday will be if the move was successful this time.

Chains that opened on Thanksgiving last year didn't necessarily see dramatic upticks in comparable-store sales. Walmart and Sears didn't even keep pace with inflation. However, with so many chains giving it a go this year, the retail market will have plenty of data to answer the question of whether or not opening on Thanksgiving was a win -- or a waste.

source: dailyfinance.com

Apple unveils iPad Air

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple Inc on Tuesday offered free upgrades for life on its operating system and business software, and unveiled thinner iPads and faster Mac computers ahead of a competitive holiday shopping season.

The debut of the one-pound iPad Air and MacBook Pro with sharper 'retina' display repeats a pattern of recent launches with improvements in existing lines rather than totally new products, and Apple shares fell 0.3 percent for the day.

Apple said upgrades to its Mac operating system and iWork software suite, which compete with Microsoft Corp's Excel, Word and other applications, will now be offered for all MacBooks and Mac computers.

That brings Apple's model of free system software upgrades on phones and tablets to the computer market, where Apple is still the underdog to Microsoft's Windows.

Apple may be trying to safeguard its grip on mobile software as Microsoft revs up its Windows-powered Surface Pro, which runs applications, such as Word or Excel, that are the standard for business customers, analysts said.

"We are turning the industry on its ear, but this is not why we're doing it," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told media and technology executives at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center.

"We want our customers to have our latest software."

The market is awash in inexpensive tablets running Google Inc's Android software, but the company may be focused on fending off a threat from the high end.

"In the tablet PC market, they do think Microsoft is a bigger threat than Android," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. "The iPad Air will compete with Surface Pro, not some rinky-dink Android tablet."

Gartner estimates that Apple's share of the global tablet market will slip to 47.2 percent in 2014, with Android-based tablets just overtaking Apple's this year. The IT research outfit expects Microsoft tablets to grab 3.4 percent of the market this year, double the 1.7 percent forecast for 2013.

PRESSURE

Microsoft gets 65 percent of its Windows revenue, which totaled $19.2 billion last fiscal year, from PC manufacturers which put the system on its machines, and 35 percent from other sources, chiefly people and businesses buying its software separately to install themselves.

The latest version of Windows, when bought separately to install on an old computer, starts at $120 for a home version and goes up to $200 for the full 'Pro' version. The latest Windows 8.1 upgrade was free for customers running Windows 8.

Apple's product launches on Tuesday were evolutionary, with the new iPads equipped with faster processors and better screens. Cook, at an industry conference in May, had hinted at "several more game changers" from Apple which could include wearable computers, but had not given a time frame.

"As always with Apple, expectations on systematic breakthrough hardware innovations are irrational," said Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said. "Apple is good at inventing new products and at maximizing profitability of its product range over time through software innovations and clever marketing."

Apple's new iPad Air - its full-size tablet - is about 20 percent thinner than the previous generation of tablets, weighs one pound and starts at $499. It will go on sale on Nov. 1.

The iPad mini now has a "retina" high-resolution screen and starts at $399, compared with $329 for the previous mini model. The two new tablets would face stiff competition, with Microsoft, Nokia and Amazon.com Inc all plugging rival devices in coming months.

Apple also showed off a new Mac Pro, a premium and high-powered cylindrical desktop computer that will be assembled in United States. It had shown the computer at a previously event.

For the first, Apple will launch the new iPads simultaneously in the United States and China, its biggest market, which is also a key growth region.

Apple, which jumpstarted the tablet computing market in 2010 with the first iPad, has already come under increasing pressure from cheaper devices ranging from Amazon's Kindle Fire to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Note.

But while Apple is ceding market share to rivals, its superior library of apps and content should safeguard its lead for years to come, analysts say.

Longer term however, investors hope to see real device innovation from a company that has not unveiled a new breakthrough product in years.

Cook on Tuesday dismissed the competition as directionless.

"Our competition is different: they're confused," he said. "Now they're trying to make PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs. Who knows what they'll do next?"

"We have a very clear direction and a very ambitious goal. We still believe deeply in this category and we're not slowing down on our innovation."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com