JDA Software Group Inc. has set Dec. 26, 2013 as the release date for JDA In-Store Picking, the vendor's application to allow retailers to pick electronic-commerce orders in a store.

As smartphones embrace always-on, ubiquitous location, location-based sensor fusion will become a standard feature.

With almost 28 percent unemployment and a lingering recession that's wiped out one-fourth of their country's economic output, it makes sense that Greek consumers plan to trim their Christmas spending by 12.8 percent this year. What's more surprising is that the average Greek budget for holiday gifts, food, and drink is €451 ($608)"”more than the €399 average in Germany, the country that has borne much of the cost of a Greek bailout.

Despite the shortest shopping season since 2002, Adobe Systems predicts record growth for online sales on Thanksgiving with $1.1bn and Black Friday with $1.6bn, increases of 21 and 17 percent, respectively.

As retailers rush to get their online holiday offers out early, many are missing out on a major selling tool that drives web shoppers to buy: free shipping.

Black Friday looms, and with it the onset of the year's peak retail shopping season.