Yesterday the news hit that Amazon.com has acquired online discount retailer Woot.com, a web site that acquires inventory opportunistically from manufacturers and sells it online and offline.

Though best known for its retail channel, Woot.com, the daily deals site, also sells on a drop-ship basis for other retailers. But it's best known for its own retail channel, Woot.com, a daily deals site that is joined by sister sites Shirt.Woot.com and Wine.Woot.com. The Woot sites are now its largest channel, according to Woot.com CEO Matt Rutledge.

By Ben Ream, Retail, Consumer Products & Supply Chain Consultant

Remember when the biggest buzz in retail was, “Macy’s Doesn’t Tell Gimbels?” As if these two retail titans would be forever locked in an epic clash of assortments and promotions, with no other developments superseding them.

Well the “hush, hush” between these rivals of the 50s and 60s has exploded, via the web, into an onslaught of information. Only this time it is the customer who is the all-too-willing recipient of what was once considered classified information: pricing, assortments, inventory levels, even promotions. Just look at all the web sites delineating “Black Friday” specials up to two weeks in advance.

With retail sales showing slight improvements, new research found that one-half to two-thirds of shoppers surveyed intend to spend at least the same and possibly more than normal on some type of apparel in the next 90 days.

The latest Retail Consumer Dynamics study by Acxiom Corporation, based on insights drawn from the BIGresearch Consumer Intentions and Actions (CIA) and Simultaneous Media Usage (SIMM⁾ Surveys, found that it’s imperative for retailers to maintain momentum by targeting the right segment with the right mix of promotional tools.

Consumers want to get personal right from the start while shopping online, new research shows. More than 50% of consumers expect personalized merchandising starting with a personalized home page, according to recent research from the e-Tailing Group and MyBuys, a provider of personalized recommendations for multi-channel retailers. The survey also found that 77% of shoppers will make an additional purchase when presented with personalized recommendations, according to the report “Consumer Insights into Multi-Channel Interactions: Practical Tools for Profitable Selling.”