Google Shopping to Counter Amazon by Rolfe Winkler & Alistair Barr at WSJ. “Google has approached retailers about creating a “buy” button for its online shopping site that would be similar to Amazon’s popular “one-click ordering” feature, according to people familiar with the discussions. Until now, Google Shopping has referred shoppers to merchants’ websites via links in search results. But Google wants to keep users on its own pages longer, rather than send them elsewhere.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Sears CEO Lampert explains why he closed 200 stores by Phil Wahba at Fortune. ““Most of these stores were losing money, some for a long time,” Lampert wrote. “We have experimented with different formats, different levels of investment and different processes to bring about a better result. Given changing circumstances, both in the retail industry and in our company, we can no longer afford, nor justify keeping these stores open.” Read more

 

…compares Sears to landline phone by James Covert at NY Post. “Real estate owners and communities are trying to figure out what to do with large, windowless buildings that once held essential — now useless — telephone equipment to make landlines work,” the hedge-fund billionaire wrote in a Monday blog post.“Similarly, some of our stores are simply too large for our needs.” Read more

 

Canadian Tire draws fire over ‘sexist’ flyer at City News Toronto. “Some shoppers were taken aback by a Canadian Tire flyer containing a list of “gifts for her” that included items, such as sewing machines, pots and pans and a pink tool kit. Other items under the gifts for her section included crock pots and a chocolate fountain. “Ideally it should say gifts for the family,” said shopper Laima Cers. “That’s what it should say.” See the video / Read more

 

Aldi’s testing credit cards by John Ewoldt at Star-Tribune. “Matt Lilla, divisional vice president of Aldi in Faribault, Minn., said the company is testing credit cards in Minnesota, Hudson, Wis., and a few stores in Syracuse, N.Y.” Read more

 

Minnesota: Twitter account for Home Depot store shutdown after “war crimes and torture” tweet by Michael Brodkorb at Star-Trbune. “Stephen Holmes, Director of Corporate Communications for Home Depot said in a statement that this was not “a company Tweet or a company statement.” Holmes added that Home Depot “quickly investigated and an employee admitted to accidently retweeting this, not realizing it was coming from the store’s Twitter account.” Read more

 

Houston: Hundreds Line Up for Chance at Air Jordans at KHOU. “I’m here with friends and family,” said Chelsea Boyd, who said she had been waiting since midnight. Others in line said they got in line as early as 8:30 Saturday night. Around 2 a.m., the crowd got a bit unruly as people argued who was first in line and two windows were cracked during the commotion. Officers with the Houston Police Department, who were on scene all night, then put up tape to put everyone in a unified line.” See the video / Read more

 

GameStop’s secret weapon against Wal-Mart’s incursion by Phil Wahba at Fortune. Read the interview with Gamestop CFO

 

Edward Snowden calls Amazon ‘morally irresponsible’ by Drew Hansen at Washington Business Journal. “He described Amazon allowing users to browse products without encryption to be a “morally irresponsible” practice, according to the report.” Read more

 

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