retail

JCPenney Chief Executive and former Apple Retail Chief Ron Johnson says physical retail's best days are still ahead of it and that online shopping won't keep growing forever.

In an interview at Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colo., the executive said online retail will "level out," giving physical retail stores an opportunity to offer things to shoppers that can't be had through a digital screen.

In remaking JCPenney in the Apple retail store image, Johnson said he's treating the more than 1,100 stores like a startup and that he expects losses … Read more

AC Gears sells a wide variety of headphones and gadgets in Greenwich Village in NYC. It's not a huge space, but half of the store is devoted to in-ear and full-size headphones, and I recently spoke with founder Kohn Liu to learn more about his business. The brands and model lineup change from time to time, but right now he has around 50 headphones on display. Many are in the affordable range, but there's also a decent selection of high-end brands as well. AC Gears has most Grado models on display, including the top-of-the-line PS 1000. They also … Read more

There's a rumor going around that, with Windows 8, Microsoft is doing away with the full version of Windows sold at retail.

If this pans out -- and so far, I have heard it from only one source (as I noted on the Windows Weekly podcast with my co-host Paul Thurrot this week) -- I doubt there will be anyone lining up in protest.

In Microsoft parlance, a full product typically means a non-upgrade, fully licensed version of Windows sold in a box via brick-and-mortar and/or online retailers. With Windows, full product tends to be quite expensive -- … Read more

The era of typing in a search query and waiting for results is coming to an end. Google Instant, launched in September of 2010, made it unnecessary for users to finish typing a query before seeing the answer on a search results page. Now Google is making this tech available as a standalone feature for some of its advertisers, with a pilot project, Search As You Type for retail advertisers. Clients can now get this service without the rest of the Google Commerce Search suite.

The service works with a site's existing search function and gives visitors answers, including … Read more

Microsoft will have 44 retail stores in place by the end of its fiscal 2013, which means by the end of June 2013, officials said today

A year ago, Microsoft officials said that it planned to open 75 new Microsoft Stores in the subsequent two to three years. Apple currently has more than 300 retail stores worldwide.

Microsoft Stores sell Windows PCs, Windows Phones, Microsoft, and third-party software, games, peripherals, and more. Microsoft also is going to sell its recently announced Surface PC/tablets through its Microsoft Stores in the U.S. and through select online Microsoft stores, as well.… Read more

The Apple Store has become an educational case on what to do right in the retail sector. And it appears Best Buy has taken notice.

The retailer is testing out a new prototype that cuts down on floor space and uses a help desk, run by Best Buy's Geek Squad, as the focal point of the company's layout. The Geek Squad desk allows customers to ask questions and handle issues. According to The Wall Street Journal, which took a tour, the desk closely resembles Apple's Genius Bar.

According to the Journal, that's not all Best Buy … Read more

E-commerce just dropped the letter "e," with Groupon setting up its first retail store in the heart of Singapore.

The store is an avenue for shoppers to redeem their purchased goods instantly, Groupon Singapore CEO Karl Chong told CNET Asia during the official launch. It's also a way for the company to get to know its customers.

The shop has three computer terminals, as well as a handful of Apple iPads, where customers can browse, buy, and print deals on the spot. However, only physical goods can be redeemed at the store in the Suntec City Mall. … Read more

It was around 6 a.m. when we dragged the first box labeled "iPhones: Do Not Open Until Directed" to the office in the back room of the Apple Store at Bridgeport Village in Portland.

That label, taunting us -- daring us to infringe on Apple's (let's face it, Steve Jobs') strict code of secrecy. A few of us had gathered around the box as the other worker bees continued to prep the floor for what would end up being one of the most important days in Apple's incredible history.

"Hand me that box-cutter.&… Read more

Sales of pricey ultrabooks are up at retailers, a market research firm said, indicating that skinny laptops may be competing directly with Apple's MacBook line.

First, the bad news: the overall Windows market for notebook PC sales at retail fell by 17 percent in the first five months of the year, according to Stephen Baker, an NPD Group analyst, who published a research note Thursday.

The good news: sales of ultrabooks -- thin, light laptops that compete with the MacBook Air -- are up in the premium market segment. Those priced at more than $900 jumped 39 percent compared … Read more