Lancaster Is Google’s 2014 eCity For Pennsylvania

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  Just another reason to love Lancaster 🙂

Lancaster is known for its local foods and crafts, and in recent years, those traditional products have begun to be offered in a new way: online.

The Lancaster community on Thursday was recognized for taking business into the digital world.

It was named the “digital capital” of Pennsylvania and recipient of Google’s eCity designation.

For the second year, the internet search giant has recognized a community in each of the 50 states. Last year, Exton, in neighboring Chester County received the award.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/google-names-lancaster-its-ecity-for-pennsylvania/article_32d60764-555a-11e4-8ea5-0017a43b2370.html

New Website Allows Customers To Shop Downtown Lancaster Businesses 24/7

Editor’s note:  We think this is a great concept and we like the fact that so many merchants are already on board.

About 30 businesses in downtown Lancaster have banded together and created a way for customers to have more access to their products.

The new website https://shoplancaster.net/ gives anyone unfettered access.  Save on gas, parking and time.  If you are busy, don’t live in the area or don’t have access to transportation, but enjoy shopping online, then this site is for you!

The website is easy to use, you can shop by vendor or type of product etc…

Just create an account and start spending!

Prepaid Cards Start To Elbow Aside Bank Accounts

Chris Espinoza was having a hard time making purchases or paying bills online because he didn’t have a bank account.

“Nobody wanted to give me an account,” said Espinoza, 31. The La Habra, Calif., resident explained that being financially reckless during his youth “messed me up.”

“Doing everything with cash was hard,” he said.

During a visit to Wal-Mart about a year ago, Espinoza found his banking workaround in the Bluebird prepaid card. Offered by the mega-retailer and American Express, it provides services through its mobile app such as direct deposit, online bill pay and check deposits.

Read more: http://triblive.com/business/headlines/5703725-74/cards-prepaid-card#ixzz2vaJTpdSa
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Staples To Shutter 225 Stores As Sales Move Online

Staples (Canada) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

FRAMINGHAM, MA (AP) – Staples will close up to 225 stores in North America by the end of next year as it seeks to trim about $500 million in costs annually by 2015.

The nation’s largest office-supply retailer said Thursday that nearly half of its sales are now generated online, so it will aggressively cut costs to become more efficient.

Company shares dropped more than 10 percent before markets opened.

The recession did heavy damage to the industry, which is now under increasing pressure from online retailers as well as discount stores.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20140306_ap_77eb92fd166d43918b55776a4cd110bf.html#y7MAZEw1cUTxW8ok.99

Amazon May Predict And Ship Your Next Order Before You Buy It

Deutsch: Logo von Amazon.com (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Amazon believes it may have the ability to anticipate consumer demand on a granular level – so much so, that it could actually begin shipping an order before you even buy it. The online retailer is working to refine predictive logistics in an effort to further shorten shipping times to customers. “Anticipatory package shipping” – a process patented by Amazon late last month – may become a part of that process.

By analyzing consumer data, such as prior orders, product searches, wish lists, shopping cart contents – and even cursor activity — Amazon could predict a consumer’s future purchase and move merchandise to a nearby fulfillment center in anticipation of a subsequent order.

By forecasting customer behavior, Amazon seeks to speed transit times to customers while utilizing lower-cost ground shipping rather than expedited methods “that may rival the price paid for the merchandise.

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/philly/story/amazon-may-predict-and-ship-your-next-order-you-buy-it-0/1

Strong ‘Turnout’ Expected For Cyber Monday

As interest in Black Friday shopping wanes among consumers, Cyber Monday is still expected to attract holiday deal hunters.

If Black Friday was too busy or too cold, shopping from home is a option being embraced by more people every year.

Anthony Liuzzo, Ph.D., professor of business and economics at Wilkes University, said even while holiday shopping tends to be blending together and retailers and e-tailers try to capture shoppers earlier, Cyber Monday will continue as a event – albeit a virtual one.

“Cyber Monday will hold up,” he said. “When people get back the office on Monday and get to their computers, they will be shopping.”

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/strong-turnout-expected-for-cyber-monday-1.1593893

Mall At Steamtown Battles For Survival

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lackawanna County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As Bon-Ton reported it will vacate the Mall at Steamtown in January, department store magnate Al Boscov admits the shopping complex is battling for its existence.

“I am trying to figure out ways that we can survive,” said Boscov, who developed the $101 million Lackawanna Avenue complex and is a principal in the group that owns the facility.

Bon-Ton reported it will close its 100,000-square-foot store in the mall before its lease expires Jan. 31. Spokeswoman Mary Kerr said it probably will cease operations between Jan. 26 and Jan. 29.

“It’s sad. It’s certainly something that we don’t want to do,” Kerr said. “We do have to make these hard decisions at times.”

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/mall-at-steamtown-battles-for-survival-1.1570580

Pennsylvania’s Online Shoppers Soon Will Have To Pay Sales Tax

Tax-free online purchases will be curtailed in Pennsylvania starting next month, but activists pushing for a federal law say much more needs to be done to address the issue of tax-free Internet shopping, and the millions in sales tax that states are missing out on.

Pennsylvania alone would lose between $254 million and $410 million in uncollected revenues this year without legislative intervention, according to a 2011 study by Carnegie Mellon University professor Robert Strauss.

But starting Sept. 1, online retailers with a physical presence in the state will have to pay at least 6 percent sales tax for items purchased by Pennsylvanians.

And for those shoppers in Allegheny County, the online sales tax would be 7 percent — a 6 percent share going to the state, and an additional 1 percent for Allegheny County. In Philadelphia, they tack on an extra 2 percent, meaning the online sales tax — just like the regular, bricks-and-mortar sales tax — would be 8 percent.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/legal/pennsylvanias-online-shoppers-soon-will-have-to-pay-sales-tax-649674/#ixzz246C7JCAT

Amazon Workers Cool After Company Took Heat For Hot Warehouse

This time last year, online retailer Amazon.com had ambulances parked outside its Breinigsville warehouse complex on hot days, with emergency medical personnel ready to take workers suffering from heat injuries to nearby hospitals.

Today, Amazon warehouse workers say the facility is refreshingly cool when it’s hot and muggy outside. The company recently installed 40 roof-top air conditioners in its 615,000-square-foot warehouse, part of a $52 million investment in cooling its warehouses around the country.

“I didn’t even break a sweat today,” one worker said at the end of his shift Tuesday, when Lehigh Valley temperatures topped 90 degrees. “It was really nice. I noticed the difference as soon as I walked in the door.”

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-amazon-warehouse-air-conditioning-20120602,0,7480474.story

Online Retailers Hoping Congress Acts As PA Delays Enforcement Of Sales Tax Law

HARRISBURG — Out-of-state retailers will not collect sales tax on goods they sell online to Pennsylvania residents until Sept. 1, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.

The clarification in the Pennsylvania tax law has spooked several advertisers into terminating their agreements withPennsylvania publishers in December.

As retailers adjust to the newly interpreted tax law, state residents must track the 6 percent sales tax on the goods they purchase and declare that amount on their 2011 tax return forms, according to the state tax code.

Opponents of the new law, which originally was expected to go into effect Wednesday, said the state will lose more than $22 million in revenue, because Internet companies won’t do business here.  (NO KIDDING!)

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/montgomery-news/story/online-retailers-hoping-congress-acts-pa-delays-enforcement-sales-tax-law/1