E-Commerce

Control4 said this week that it will debut social media training for its dealers starting May 15. Webinars will take place on that date and on May 18.

Best Buy has apologized for a delivery snafu that prevented some orders from arriving in time for Christmas.

The last three years have been a volatile period in the history of consumer electronics. While a recovery is slowly taking shape, I believe the next few years will offer as much change as the in the last year or so. Here are a few trends worth watching:

Store-within-a-Store Model Expands
In the late 1990s, Apple’s presence within major retailers began to change, ultimately transforming into the now familiar store-within-a-store model. This gradual transformation pulled Apple products together within the store. Instead of merchandizing Apple products within the category where the products would sit next to similar devices, Apple products were increasingly merchandized next to other Apple products. The retail presence for Apple changed from an existence within categories to one of brand. As the Apple ecosystem of products expanded, so too did Apple’s store-within-a-store presence.   

Following the long Thanksgiving weekend, retailers who sell online are beginning the week with Cyber Monday.

Samsung this week announced the launch of a new company website at Samsung.com. The new site features social media and e-commerce components, as well as the ability to add third party product reviews.

Apple has launched a new online store for business-to-business re-sellers, AppleInsider.com reported Tuesday.

Sam's Club plans to emphasize Internet-connected TVs this holiday season by demonstrating their capabilities with in-store Wi-Fi, according to a Wall Street Journal report Tuesday.

Netsertive said last week that it has expanded its online advertising program for the audio-video industry, of which Integra is a participant.

AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile are reportedly joining forces on a venture to allow consumers to pay for items directly with their smartphones at checkout

Flextronics announced Tuesday that it has brought back Firedog, formerly the technology service division of Circuit City, as a new direct-to-business and direct-to-consumer tool