Colorado Peace Ride

Apple Granted Patent for Anonymous Shopping Transactions on a Network through Information Broker Services

As we note at the bottom of this report, only about 1% of granted patents are attributed to new inventions. The exceptions usually point to Apple acquiring a patent and in this case it may very well fit that bill. Apple has been granted a patent today for an invention relating to a system and method for carrying out anonymous shopping and other on-line transactions over a network through the use of information broker services.

Apples Granted Patent Background

The rise in the popularity of interconnected, processor-based networks, such as the Internet, has increased the practice of on-line shopping. The increase of on-line shopping has made it possible for consumers to purchase goods and services with ease. Often, consumers are able to purchase items from the convenience of their own home at any hour of the day.

However, in order to complete an on-line transaction, users are typically required to submit personal, confidential, or otherwise private information over the network to the on-line merchant. Once submitted, the information may be intercepted or otherwise accessed by unintended or unauthorized persons. Obviously, this is an undesirable result. Thus, it is desirable to carry out on-line transactions without needlessly endangering private information.

For example, buyers are typically required to submit a credit card number to the on-line merchant in order to pay for the desired goods or services. However, submitting a credit card number over the network opens the possibility that the credit card number will fall into the wrong hands and unauthorized charges may result.

Buyers are also asked to provide their legal names (usually as it appears on the credit card account). For numerous reasons, buyers may not want to provide their real name over the network. For example, for safety reasons, women living alone may not want to provide their real names. Similarly, buyers may not want to provide their home address when purchasing items on-line. These and other drawbacks exist.

Apples Future Solution

One advantage of the invention is that it overcomes these and other drawbacks in existing devices. Another advantage is that the invention provides a system and method for enabling consumers to shop on-line without having to reveal personal information.

Another advantage is that the invention provides a system and method for using an information broker service to disguise a users personal information and enable the user to accomplish on-line shopping in an anonymous fashion.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for enabling a user to transact an anonymous on-line transaction, wherein a form of on-line payment is requested at a transaction interface. The method may include providing an anonymous user interface that enables a user to initiate an on-line payment, accessing a first profile comprising user data when the user activates the form of on-line payment, generating a second profile linked to the first profile wherein, the second profile comprises anonymous data, and communicating the anonymous data from the second profile to the transaction interface to enable completion of the transaction.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for enabling a user to transact an anonymous on-line transaction, wherein a form of on-line payment is requested at a transaction interface. The system may include an anonymous user interface that enables a user to initiate an on-line payment, a profile access initiator that accesses a first profile comprising user data when the user activates the form of on-line payment, a profile generator that generates a second profile linked to the first profile wherein, the second profile comprises anonymous data, and an anonymous data communicator that communicates the anonymous data from the second profile to the transaction interface to enable completion of the transaction.

Apples patent FIG. 2 is a schematic of an anonymous shopping interface.

This is Apples second granted surprise patent regarding a method to assist users to remain anonymous while shopping. The first surprise came in June 2012. Our report covering that granted patent was titled Apple Wins Surprising Anti-Big Brother Surveillance Patent. It would appear that Apple is working on a new consumer protection application for some time in the future.

Apple credits Kelly Sonderegger, Russell Young, John Robertson and Arn Perkins as the inventors of this granted patent which was filed for by Apple in Q2 2011 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. The inventors dont appear to be Apple engineers. To review todays granted patent claims and details, see US Number
8,386,333.

Apple Granted Four Design Patents Today

As noted below, Apple has been granted four design patents today covering a docking station, and iOS user interface elements for gaming center, camera and music controls.

Its Granted Patent Day

Readers should be aware that every Tuesday the US Patent and Trademark Office publish Apples Granted Patents. Granted patents are approved patent applications that Apple applied for months or even years ago. In the vast majority of cases, granted patents arent covering any new kind of technology on the day the patent is being granted. New Apple technologies are generally revealed on Thursdays by the US Patent Office in the form of published patent applications. Some Mac sites confuse this process by making claims and presenting bylines on Tuesday that insinuate that Apple has just revealed a new technology or process. In 99% of cases, this is simply untrue and readers should be made aware of this fact. Known exceptions would include patents that were recently acquired by Apple or a domestic and/or foreign patent application that Apple had never presented in the US before under its own brand name.

Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the US Patent amp; Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.

New on Patent Bolt this Week

Samsung to Advance Microfluidic Display Effects While Working on a Smartphone for the Blind

Google Glass Part Two: Binocular Vision

Googles Chrome OS Coming to Tablets with Floating Menus amp; Touch Sensitive Housing

An Alarming new Device is in the Works for Android and iOS

Tags: Shopping Transactions

How often do you push yourself out of your comfort zone?  As I watch my boys grow at a remarkable pace Im reminded of all the things which were once unknown to me and, to be honest, a bit intimidating. You know, things like learning how to apply for a position and present yourself at a job interview.  Or, even more basic interactions of grown up life such as banking tasks, shopping transactions and negotiating financial matters. Remember when all of that seemed nearly unimaginably complicated?

Work and careers aside, when was the last time you injected something new into your life?  An activity?  A sport?  Something that maybe frightened you a little bit?  As a woman in my mid-40s, I am firmly on my chosen career path with my child bearing days over.  My opportunities to explore something new seem limited   a reality that goes beyond the mere fact that Im not quite as flexible as I once was, emotionally or physically.

Two years ago I participated in a winter triathlon down in the Catskills.  The three events which comprised the race were a downhill ski, a 10-mile bike ride and 4 mile run.  Now, I can ride and run, but skiing was something new to me.  Beyond a single lesson, taken about 10 years previously, I had zero experience with the sport, but I registered for the race nonetheless.  The ski was (thankfully) the first leg of the race.  I made my way down the mountain, cutting back and forth as I attempted to control my speed, until I reached the bottom.  Fear conquered, sense of accomplishment gained, my face beaming with a huge grin of satisfaction, it made no difference that I was dead last in the race.

This year I decided I wanted to practice this skiing thing a bit more and Ive gotten myself out there a few times. The pleasure I am getting from this new interest is tempered by the expense and my underlying concern with breaking a bone, but I am really enjoying the act of learning a new outdoor activity.  While I may not win any medals, the fact that Im stretching myself in a new direction is enough of a  prize for me.  Especially with views like this!

Tags: Shopping Transactions

The Chinese luxury website Shangpin.com stages a fashion show in Beijing. The Beijing-based company formed a partnership with the industry group Council of Fashion Designers of America to promote US designers in China, a fast-growing global luxury market. Provided to China Daily

On the heels of an exchange program that brought designer Uma Wang to New York last year for a six-week apprenticeship with established American counterparts, a leading US industry group has signed its first Chinese partnership with Shangpin.com, a high-end online fashion retailer based in Beijing.

The moves signal an ongoing desire of the Council of Fashion Designers of America to break into Chinas fashion market, which will account for about 20 percent of global luxury sales by 2015, according to consultant McKinsey #38; Co.

We are thrilled to introduce Shangpin to our members and look forward to opening new paths for our designers into China, Steven Kolb, CEO of the designers council, said in a release. During these exciting times, we will support the overall growth of American fashion into China.

Launched in 2010, Shangpin already offers a number of CFDA-recognized brands including Diane Von Furstenberg and Stuart Weitzman at full price for in-season styles, capitalizing on a business model that diverges from the last-season discount approach of most e-commerce sites.

The sites revenue totaled 200 million yuan (about $31 million) in 2011, and customer transactions now average $300, according to the privately held company. The companys name is a play on the Chinese characters for shang (fashion), and pin, which translates to both taste and quality.

Shangpin, which has over 300 million VIP members, will now support a wider selection of the 400 or so designers represented by CFDA in growing its business in China, particularly in second- and third-tier cities where luxury brands have yet to open stores.

E-commerce has become increasingly important in a country where even domestic companies have trouble reaching consumers outside major metropolises. Cities such as Nanjing, Shenzhen and Dalian have a growing middle and upper class of consumers who are eager to spend on luxury, so online shopping is a way to link them to brands, especially Western ones.

We look forward to sharing our insights on the Chinese market with the members of the CFDA, said David Zhao, CEO of Shangpin.com. China is a challenging market to enter because there are limited distributors to cover such a large geographical area. This is why e-commerce in China, much more than in the West, is the most effective distribution and marketing platform for designers who want to reach Chinese regions where traditional brick-and-mortar stores do not exist.

Shangpin currently sells into more than 400 cities across China and has a pulse on the evolving Chinese consumer, he said.

The site offers a no-questions-asked return policy for a week after purchase and free FedEx delivery anywhere in China, with goods arriving in elegant black-and-gold shopping bags.

In an interview with Jing Daily, designer Tracy Reese (who dressed Michelle Obama for the US first ladys speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention) said: Chinas a market that we want to explore. We need to learn so much more to do it effectively. The site gives us great exposure to the market and Chinese consumer.

Online shopping transactions in China totaled 10.73 billion yuan in 2011, up from 6.36 billion yuan the previous year, and are expected to reach 37.24 billion yuan in 2015, according to iResearch. Boston Consulting Group said that 37 percent of Chinese respondents in a survey said they shop aspirationally, with the intention of trading up; only 17 percent of US respondents said the same.

But in China, where Western styles are still relatively new, many consumers need guidance in choosing how to spend their money, Zhao said. The site offers 24/7 customer service from fashion specialists who are well-versed in merchandising and personal style, according to the company. The site also spotlights celebrities including Jennifer Aniston and Victoria Beckham in its featured apparel.

Compared to those from around the world, especially luxury shoppers from the USA and Europe, Chinese online shoppers need more coaching time in terms of interpreting the culture, the story of luxury and fashion brands, especially for emerging high-end brands, Zhao told CNN in 2011.

Although the CFDA declined to comment on its ongoing China Exchange program, Wangs stay in New York last summer was an attempt to build links between China and the US, Kolb told China Daily in 2012. The exchange was funded by Silas Chou, president and CEO of Novel Enterprises Ltd, a Hong Kong textile manufacturer. Chou is also co-chairman of Michael Kors Corp. Proenza Schoulers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez will visit Shanghai as part of the program, according to the CFDA.

To succeed as a designer today, you cant think of boundaries anymore, he said. Every designer is now saying China, China, China, so for us [partnerships like these] are an opportunity to help bridge the US and China. Its about collaboration and mutual benefit.

kdawson@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 03/08/2013 page10)

Tags: Shopping Transactions

Edited and translated by Liang Jun, Peoples Daily Online

Over the past fifteen years, Chinas online population increased from 620,000 in 1997 to 564 million in 2012, amounting to nearly half of Chinas total population, according to relative figures.

An Internet revolution is changing peoples daily life

In 2012, the scale of Chinas online shopping transactions amounted to 1.3 trillion yuan, equal to the GDP of northern western Chinas Shannxi province of the whole year and reaching 6.2 percent of total retail sales of consumer goods. Online shopping express parcels accounted for two thirds of the total 5.7 billion express parcels in China this year.

Li Yongzhuang, director of the Livelihood Economy Research Center at the Central University of Finance and Economics, thinks with the improvement of the payment methods and logistic system, convenient and cost-effective advantages of e-commerce are becoming more and more obvious, while the traditional shopping malls are to become the fitting room of e-commerce platform.

Meanwhile, the proportion of B2C (business- to- consumers) model in the online transactions continues to increase and amounting to 30 percent of all transactions in 2012, which shows online shopping is growing and large online shopping marketplaces are rising.

Online shopping is only a small part of e-commerce. In 2011, Chinas transaction scale of e-commerce market reached 7 trillion yuan, accounting for 14.8 percent of that years GDP; in the first three quarters of 2012, the figure increased to 5.63 trillion yuan, contributing to a 15.9 percent of the GDP of the same period.

Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research, believes that in terms of business, the biggest role of Internet is to break information barrier, lowering communication cost and optimize resource allocation.

With the further popularization of webs, Internet will have a revolutionary impact on Chinas commercial activities.

Smyths Toy Superstores has worked with Rakuten MediaForge on a dynamic retargeting programme in a bid to bring shoppers back to its website and their shopping baskets following Experian results showing that over £1 billion of online shopping transactions are abandoned.

The partnership with Rakuten MediaForge aims to offer potential customers something more than just ads for the site by extending the shopping experience to create a shoppable ad with customised content for each customer.

“Rakuten MediaForge’s unique engagement display platform allows us to prospect, nurture and engage with our customers online,” commented Dryden Geary, marketing manager at Smyths Toy Superstores.

Since launching the retargeting programme prior to Christmas and during Q4 2012 eight per cent of all shoppers targeted by the toy store engaged with the ads.

Geary added: “The return on investment spoke for itself, for every £1 spent on retargeting Smyths Toy Superstores generated £37 worth of business. Site abandonment is a huge online retail challenge and using Rakuten MediaForge’s technology we were able to deliver a more personal shopping experience thanks to dynamic features such as in-ad search and social media, which successfully brought shoppers back to our brand.”

CEO of Rakuten MediaForge, Tony Zito, said: “The sales cycle doesn’t have to end when a shopper abandons an e-commerce site. As people shop around more and compare prices and products, it’s important to make sure your brand remains front-of-mind with consumers.”

Tags: Shopping Transactions

In a bid to capture new customers, American Express Co. (AXP) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) on Monday announced a new prepaid card, billing it as a cheaper alternative to traditional debit cards and checking accounts.

Prepaid cards have flooded the shelves of pharmacies, supermarkets and, more recently, bank branches as alternative financial-services providers like Green Dot Corp. (GDOT) and NetSpend Holdings Inc. (NTSP), as well as mainstream lenders like American Express and JP Morgan Chase amp; Co. (JPM), try to attract consumers who are put off by increasing checking account fees.

This really is a first of its kind out in the marketplace, said Dan Schulman, president of American Express enterprise growth group, on a conference call.

Many of Wal-Marts customers are low income, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and turning to the retailer to cash their checks on a monthly basis. With the card, called Bluebird, Wal-Mart is offering a financial service customers can tap into and then do their shopping.

The product will be available beginning next week online at www.bluebird.com and in more than 4,000 Wal-Mart stores, the companies said. Customers will be able to load money on to their Bluebird accounts using payroll direct deposit, by snapping a picture of a check with their smartphones using a Bluebird mobile app and loading cash at a Wal-Mart register. Customers will also be able to link a checking, savings or debit-card account to their Bluebird account to transfer funds.

Traditionally sold by alternative financial-services companies such as Green Dot, which has an existing partnership with Wal-Mart; NetSpend and Western Union Co. (WU), the market has recently attracted a slew of mainstream lenders, including American Express, Chase, US Bancorp (USB) and Regions Financial Corp. (RF), as they look for additional revenue sources amid fee limits on other products.

Chase in July said it was rolling out its Liquid prepaid card to all of its 5,500 branches nationwide.

Many banks have been attracted to the product because unlike traditional debit cards, they are not subject to new limits on so-called debit-card swipe fees that banks charge merchants on every card transaction. The Durbin amendment, a provision of 2010s Dodd-Frank financial overhaul legislation that ushered in the new fee caps, included an exemption for most prepaid cards, allowing issuers of such cards to extract higher fees from merchants.

Prepaid cards also are not subject to the same consumer-protection requirements that other bank-issued debit cards are, though many prepaid-card providers, including American Express, say they proactively offer those protections to customers. Most prepaid cards also do not come with checking accounts, though American Express and Wal-Mart executives said they are planning to add check-writing capabilities and additional deposit options potentially in the first quarter of next year.

The move further solidifies Wal-Marts position in the financial-services industry. The retailer had tried to obtain a banking charter several years ago but gave up that effort in 2007 after facing intense opposition from the banking industry, which has often been critical of the companys efforts to offer financial services.

However, Wal-Mart has built itself to be a major player in alternative financial products. It is among the largest check-cashers in the US and already offers its own prepaid card in stores and online called the MoneyCard, which is managed by Green Dot, a third-party vendor that also offers prepaid cards in stores including Walgreen Co. (WAG) and CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) under its own name.

We serve a large swath of the US population…and customers may think of Wal-Mart first for their shopping transactions and their financial transactions, Daniel Eckert, vice president of financial services for Wal-Mart US said.

The companies first began testing Bluebird late last year, and have fine-tuned the product based on customer feedback.

Bluebird is our solution to help consumers who currently may be poorly served by traditional banking products, Mr. Schulman said. It allows them to easily and safely move, manage, and spend their money.

Rising bank fees and additional requirements to avoid those fees has driven customer demand for prepaid cards, experts have said. But prepaid-card companies themselves have also sparked the ire of consumer advocates for charging what some say are excessive and hidden fees.

The new US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau earlier this year said it was evaluating the prepaid-card market to determine if new rules were needed to make fees more transparent to customers and ensure the cards are legally subject to the same fraud-resolution requirements as other bank products.

American Express and Wal-Mart said their product contains the same fraud protections and product features as other traditional card products, and carries significantly lower fees than competing prepaid offerings, which are often marketed to consumers who dont use banks and may be more likely to use storefront check cashers and payday lenders.

For example, the Bluebird card doesnt have a monthly maintenance fee, annual fee or activation fee, while other prepaid cards can carry fees of $5 or more a month, in addition to activation fees and charges for talking to a customer-service representative, checking balances at automated teller machines and other activities.

It also doesnt charge customers inactivity fees if they stop using the card after a certain amount of time or transaction fees for customers who use the card in foreign countries.

Customers can open a Bluebird account online for free, through the mobile app for free or for $5 by purchasing a set-up kit in Wal-Mart stores.

The card does come with a $2 ATM withdrawal fee, plus separate fees that may be charged by operators of third-party ATMs. However, customers can avoid the fees by enrolling in direct deposit and using ATMs within the MoneyPass Network, which has 22,000 ATMs in the US

Mr. Schulman said the company has tried to make the card full of value, features and functionality and avoid almost all of the fees associated with things like overdraft and checking accounts. You cant overdraft on this account. Its not possible to do that.

Bluebird, which American Express first disclosed in March, is the latest effort by both companies to attract new customers. American Express, traditionally a lender of credit cards to affluent borrowers, last year launched a new prepaid card as part of an aggressive push to appeal to a wider swath of consumers. It has since struck deals to sell its new products in stores such as Office Depot (ODP) and Target Corp. (TGT).

Green Dots shares have been under pressure this year as it has faced more competition from traditional lenders encroaching on its market. The companys share price was cut in half in July after it reduced its annual earnings forecast, citing increased competition and the end of exclusive contracts with some of its retail partners.

Its shares were down 19.3%, at $10.36 in recent trading Monday, after American Express and Wal-Mart made their announcement. Shares of NetSpend, a direct competitor to Green Dot that has struck new deals with retailers in the last year, were down 7%, at $10 in recent trading.

In a statement, Green Dot Chief Executive Officer Steve Streit said Green Dot is supportive of Wal-Marts focus on offering various alternative financial products for different segments of Americans.

We will continue working together to grow our MoneyCard business, which we believe will continue to thrive alongside this new offering, Mr. Streit said.

Dan Henry, CEO of NetSpend, said focus by American Express and other lenders on the prepaid-card market is good for the industry.

If you see Chase and American Express…spending money and building awareness of prepaid, thats good for the entire industry and thats good for the consumer, said Mr. Henry, whose company sells its card through retailers including 7-Eleven as well as check-cashing stores and payday lenders.

Under its current contract with Wal-Mart, Green Dot is the exclusive manager of the retailers MoneyCard program through May 2015, when the deal expires.

Asked whether Wal-Mart is looking at replacing its relationship with Green Dot, Mr. Eckert said absolutely not.

We have a terrific relationship with Green Dot, Mr. Eckert said.

American Express shares were up 0.3% at $58.75 and Wal-Marts shares were up 0.1% at $75.26 in recent trading.

Write to Andrew R. Johnson at andrewrjohnson@dowjones.com and Karen Talley at karen.talley@dowjones.com.

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Copyright copy; 2012 Dow Jones Newswires

Tags: Shopping Transactions

Mostly, I splurge more on my family. Buying two shirts for myself is already splurging.

One thing I can’t travel without is… any book that I’m reading. Sometimes I think, “Nah, I don’t need to bring a book,” then I end up getting bored, especially on the plane. Then I got to listen to the life story of the person next to me but I don’t have the heart to tell him to shut up and that he has bad breath.

The one electronic gadget I can’t live without is… my laptop. It’s where I do most of my work. I write jokes. I edit videos. I record ideas. I watch movies. I even watch my kids on it. Spy on what they’re doing. I also do bank transactions and monitor my wife’s shopping transactions on it.

Right now I’m addicted to… buko juice. It is my new panacea. It has more potassium than a banana so it can prevent cramps when I’m playing basketball or doing other exercises. And it’s available everywhere.

Drink your BJ today!

Tags: Shopping Transactions

NB: This is a guest article by Graham Hills, managing director for Wego in Indonesia.

Ecommerce-related companies are flocking to Indonesia of late, with online travel companies no exception, eager to take advantage of a youthful and connected market.

There’s a healthy mix of local and international companies setting up their local operations and Wego is no exception, recognising the opportunity for a local presence quite early.

Some background

Indonesia is a large and rapidly growing market. It has a population of around 250 million, 50% of which are aged under 30, and internet users reported at 50 million-plus.

And, if you judged the whole of Indonesia based on what you see in a local Jakarta Starbucks, then you’d incorrectly assume everyone in the country has a smartphone.

For the travel industry specifically, disposable income is increasing with GDP growth for Indonesia the strongest in Asia.

Low cost carriers are expanding their presence, connecting more cities and educating users to go online for their travel bookings. It’s been well reported that LionAir recently placed Boeing’s biggest order ever.

Indonesian users are quick to adopt new technologies and, until recently, Indonesia topped usage for services like Facebook and Twitter outside of the US. Indeed, it has only been in the last couple of months that countries like India have caught up and overtaken.

Local users actively buy and sell online. Local site Kaskus is one of the most visited sites in the country with its buy/sell forums accounting for a significant portion of its page views.

This prompted the launch of an eWallet product, Kaspay. Former social network Multiply, now headquartered in Jakarta, pivoted to social commerce based on a large base of users in Indonesia and Philippines using the site to buy and sell online.

All of these factors contribute to increased investment into the local internet scene, especially ecommerce.

There is a but

As big as the growth is in online shopping, transactions may originate online, but cash and goods are largely exchanged face-to-face.

Last week’s StartupAsia conference, organised by Techinasia, saw some interesting discussions take place surrounding the problems being faced in the ecommerce space.

The trade of physical goods is bound to cause some challenges in emerging markets, but which of these is most relevant to the online travel market?

Anyone who has spent some time in Indonesia will understand that this is a cash economy. People only spend what they have and they pre-pay based on planned short-term consumption.

The local mobile phone market, for example, is 95% prepaid with users choosing to access data with the ability to choose packages for a day, week or month. Even electricity can be purchased on a prepaid basis.

Indonesia is home to only 40 million bank account holders that’s only 16% of the population and the number of credit cards are even fewer with penetration in the lowly 5% range. Local magazine Tempo recently said online banking is slowest in Indonesia amongst ASEAN countries.

What does that mean for online travel?

If your payment strategy is credit card dependent then conversion is going to be a challenge. This is one area where I feel local companies have a strategic advantage.

Research from tech blog DailySocial showed 80% of respondents prefer to pay for online transactions via bank transfer. PayPal is not widely used and local users often complain about the poor exchange rate.

For local businesses, which are largely SMEs, there’s a lack of options for payment related products prompting an increasing number of startups to focus on this area. Several eWallet based products have already launched and several payment gateways are setting up.

Visit any new local travel startup in Indonesia such as Tiket, PegiPegi, Tiket2, Rajakamar et al and you’ll see one thing in common logos of the major local banks through which users can pay by bank transfer either at the bank, online or at the ATM.

Look further into some of these companies and you’ll see they also heavily promote their call centres, which in the case of Rajakamar, runs 24 hours and is manned by hundreds of staff.

One thing is clear in Indonesia, the internet and industries revolving around it are quickly gaining pace, but for companies only offering credit card payment there are some clear challenges ahead.

NB: This is a guest article by Graham Hills, managing director for Wego in Indonesia.

NB2: Indonesia cash image via Shutterstock.

Tags: Shopping Transactions

UK e-commerce has registered strong growth in 2012, with online shoppers spending £34.9 billion over the first six months of the year, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.

In comparison to the same period last year, when spending came in at £31 billion, this year saw 12.6% growth, fuelled mainly by poor weather and the European Football Championships – two factors that kept Britons at home and online.

In June alone, online shopping transactions reached £6 billion, or £117 per person, up 13% on last year´s figures but down 1% from May 2012. Sales of home entertainment and televisions increased significantly. The travel sector also fared well, with an annual increase of 17%. By contrast, sales in the clothes sector registered an annual growth of 4%, but figures were 9% down on May. The biggest surge in revenue came in the accessories sector, which soared by 47%.

Chris Webster, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini, comments that UK online retail has seen considerable changes over the past few months and this turbulence is predicted to continue over the coming months with the Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, mobile commerce is still seeing remarkable development, with 356% year-on-year growth. At present, m-commerce accounts for about 8% of the total digital income for UK retailers, the index shows.

Source: M2 Bespoke

Tags: Shopping Transactions

By Gemma Taylor
04:16PM – Tue 3rd July 2012

International shopping firm Global Blue has reported revenue growth of EUR424 million (£340 million) in its full year results.

In the fiscal year from April 1st 2011 to March 31st 2012, the company’s turnover increased by 30 per cent, while EBITDA rose 44 per cent to EUR97 million.

Over the course of the year, 20.1 million tax free shopping transactions were made, up 24 per cent on 2010, while total transactions rose by 23 per cent to over 27 million for the period.

Such strong growth has been attributed to the increasing number of global shoppers as the company noted that Middle Eastern and Chinese shoppers represent 26 per cent and 18 per cent respectively of tax free spend from non-EU shoppers.

Middle Eastern consumers spent an average of £731 per transaction while the Chinese spent £706 on average. The average non-EU shopper spent over the course of a UK trip was £570.

Over the period, Global Blue was twice awarded ‘Best Travel Organisation’ by Chinese travel media and launched the Globe Shopper City Index which reports on the attractiveness of European cities for global shoppers.

“Global Blue continues to make strong progress towards its goal of becoming a single reference point for globe shoppers,” explained Per Setterberg, President and CEO of Global Blue.

“In 2011 the number of international shoppers increased across all major countries, including many emerging markets, such as China, Russia and Indonesia.

“We will continue to invest in products and services that make travellers’ shopping experience more enjoyable and help our merchants better meet the needs of globe shoppers, the world’s most valuable customers.”

Tags: Shopping Transactions