Tesco, one of the world's top three grocery retailers, is looking to create more global retail brands, according to new CEO Philip Clarke.

Clarke's new seven-part strategy makes the case that Tesco needs to become more aspirational and give consumers new reasons to shop at Tesco stores — and that means creating new brands, and "highly valued" brands at that.

Consumers, said Clarke, "do not want to just buy Tesco Value shower gel. They want to have something sat in their bathroom that looks like it is a brand. So you create brands." He feels there's ample reason for Tesco to create addtional new brands, since the UK chain is underperforming on its home turf — and the company's Fresh & Easy chain of grocery stores in the US is losing money, too.

That's why he's anxious to add "highly valued brands" to existing private labels such as F&F (its clothing line formerly known as Florence & Fred), and Technika, a consumer electronics brand, both of which are sold globally.Continue reading...

Shopping online in Connecticut has just gotten a little pricier.

The state of Connecticut figured it could make some extra bucks for itself when it recently passed a law to apply an sales tax to online retailers that goes into effect July 1, the Associated Press reports. But some online retailers aren’t into the idea one iota and have decided to remove themselves from doing business with Connecticut-based affiliates in order to avoid the 6.35% tax.

The largest of these sites, Overstock.com, had fewer than 10 affiliates in the state that “have earned $250,000 from revenue sharing during the past three years,” the Greenwich Time site reports. No those affiliates will go without that extra revenue. 

The way that it works is that if an online shopper wants to get a product from Overstock that is actually coming from a Connecticut company, the tax would apply. Overstock, which generated $1.1 billion in revenue last year, called the move "unconstitutional," joining smaller online retailers in breaking ties with Connecticut-based retailers.Continue reading...

As Glenn Beck gets ready to exit Fox News earlier this year, his next gig may raise some eyebrows.

His production company, Mercury Radio Arts, just launched Markdown.com as a direct competitor to Groupon, LivingSocial and scores more in the social deals and group buying space. Beck's announcement came via a Twitter update: “Proud to announce the launch of Markdown.com. Valuable deals with partners who have values. Today: CHOCOLATE!” 

The key differentiation according to Beck: “Markdown is a place where I will be able to connect you directly with the products and retailers that I love…But, best of all, Markdown is a place where my personal slogan and values will be brought to life.” And in case you were wondering: this is not a stunt from those wags at The Onion or Funny or Die, by the way.Continue reading...

What do you do after you’ve successfully reached your brand’s goal of becoming the largest online destination for shoes…and you’ve already added handbags, eyewear, clothing, watches, and kids’ merchandise to your inventory?

If you’re Zappos, you introduce VIP customer status, including free overnight shipping, points for purchase to ascend the VIP leaderboard, a selection of avatars for onsite identity, and badges for signing up and writing reviews. And then you sweeten VIP membership with fun personalization features to enhance the shopping experience.Continue reading...

Gloople, the UK’s first social shopping e-commerce platform, was just shortlisted for the 2010 Econsultancy Innovation in E-commerce Award.

We first covered the site in January, noting its name as organic to its mission: Gloople = Glue People.

Designed for SMEs, Gloople "glues" social commerce tools to an e-commerce platform where shpopers do the selling for the brand owner.Continue reading...

Shoparatti, Melissa Rivers’ daily deal website, has just added a pair of fashionista-luring features: a star-studded Style Council, which launches with E! News’ Giuliana Rancic; and a blog, featuring Rivers' “Top Picks” with weekly video and a photo section with trends and styles so shoppers can visualize Shoparatti’s daily deals.

With her site barely two months old, Rivers sorts through 80+ competitive daily deal sites, including Gilt, HauteLook, Rue La LA, and Groupon, to “clear the clutter,” as she commented this week at a meet-and-greet in New York.Continue reading...

Amazon has just entered the flash sales market with MyHabit, a members-only (but free to sign up) fashion destination offering up to 60% discounts on designer brands.

Featured sale items are posted at noon ET daily from high-end fashion labels including Doo.Ri, Elizabeth and James (one of the labels designed by the Olsen sisters, who are also exploring e-commerce with StyleMint), Halston and Vera Wang.

Competing with other portals' fashion-forward sales channels, along with celeb-heavy direct-to-consumer e-commerce fashion sites, MyHabit isn't just targeting women, although that's who will likely do most of the shopping.Continue reading...

Daily deal sites like Groupon and LivingSocial did more than socialize online discount shopping — they began a seachange that has taken e-commerce in a new direction.

Combine the deals concept with the selectivity sophistication of such sites as Amazon and Netflix, mix in the power of celebrity brands, and you get online "shopping clubs" — the latest craze in the evolving world of personalized shopping.Continue reading...