BRISBANE, Calif.  (Profitable.com)  To provide clarification on certain industry reports, Walmart.com is pleased to announce approximately a 30 percent increase in traffic on Friday, Nov. 26 compared to last year. Additionally, Walmart.com experienced nearly a 50 percent increase in traffic on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, over last year.*

* Based on Walmart analytics/Omniture data.

About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,600 retail units under 59 different banners in 15 countries.  With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.0 million associates worldwide.  A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2010 Most Admired Companies survey.  Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Walmartnews.  Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

San Francisco, CA  (Profitable.com)  New York Times bestselling author Brian “Head” Welch returns with a raw and unforgettable journey through his life with Christ in STRONGER: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality (HarperOne; December 2010; Hardcover; 9780061555824). In 2007, Brian “Head” Welch, the former lead guitarist for the hard-rock band Korn, shared the dramatic story of his music, drug addiction, and miraculous redemption through Jesus Christ in Save Me from Myself. Now, in STRONGER, he writes about the scripture that has helped lead him into deeper intimacy with God.

Continuing to share the lessons from his personal life, Head offers an unflinching forty-day devotional of scriptures that have helped him to mold his Christian faith and find light during life’s darkest moments. Written with passion and openness, this forty-day journey includes stories from Head’s past and present. He speaks candidly about his bouts of depression since finding God, his struggles against the darkness as he’s tried to understand his faith, and how, through these times of weakness, God’s written word has been one of the keys to making him stronger than he’s ever been.

Filled with original, never-before-seen, abstract drawings by artist Joshua Clay that depict and enhance Head’s words, Stronger is a remarkable look at how scripture can influence and impact anyone’s life. Applying both the Old and New Testaments to every aspect of his life—from his time with Korn to his new solo career to his life-altering decisions to his relationship with his daughter—Head details how, no matter what the issue, God has always provided the guidance he’s needed to become a stronger person.

One part journal chronicling his evolving relationship with God, one part spiritual testament to the undeniable strength of the Bible, STRONGER is a devotional unlike any other—both a moving tribute to the transformative power of the word and a no-holds-barred look at what it means to give yourself completely to Jesus Christ.

From the book:

“In January 2005 I found God, and I’ve never been the same since. For years before that life-changing decision, I had been the lead guitarist for the band Korn, traveling the world and making millions of dollars, all while being hopelessly addicted to crystal meth. I had a daughter I was responsible for, and I was failing her. I had a life I was throwing away, and I woke up each day wishing that some force would simply take me out of my misery. Thankfully that didn’t happen. Instead of that force taking me out of my misery, I got a new reason to live.”

About the Author:

Brian “Head” Welch was a founding member of Korn. In 2004, after years of struggling with substance abuse, he experienced an intense spiritual awakening that helped him overcome his problems with drugs and alcohol. He wrote about this experience in his 2007 New York Times bestselling memoir, Save Me from Myself, which was also the title of his first solo album, and Washed by Blood. Today he focuses on raising his daughter, Jennea, as a single father and is dedicated to building his solo career.

Athens, GA  (Profitable.com)  Bargain shoppers are scouring the web for Cyber Monday deals on unique gifts for those on their shopping list.  Neon wall clocks are a great way to instantly add energy and life to a room without the high cost of other decorative items. All rooms of the house can benefit from a neon wall clock. Install one that is less bright and more soothing to add nighttime light to a bedroom. Choose a brightly colored, retro style neon wall clock for a kitchen or living room. Almost any bathroom décor style can be matched with a stylish clock, which doubles as a light at night when you are trying to find the bathroom in the dark.

The glow of a neon wall clock is not harsh or intrusive, but it adds color to any space. Lighted clocks allow you to read the time quickly no matter what other light is available in room. But neon wall clocks aren’t just a great choice for your home. They also make the perfect gift for a variety of people. Young children and teenagers will love whimsical designs like guitars and princesses. Adults will appreciate the retro clocks mimicking the classic look of a 50′s diner or that are related to their interests, like a motorcycle or U.S. Army logo design.

Neon-Wallclock.com is currently showcasing the following on its website:

Coca Cola Vintage Neon Wall Clock
List Price $99.99
Sale Price $41.14

Blue Neon Guitar Neon Wall Clock
List Price $58.00
Sale Price $41.00

United States Navy Neon Wall Clock
List Price $99.99
Sale Price $73.02

Superman Shield Logo Neon Wall Clock
List Price $119.99
Sale Price $99.99

Welcome to Las Vegas Neon Wall Clock
List Price $119.99
Sale Price $87.99

Neon-Wallclock.com offers a huge selection of sports-themed wall clocks for sports fans.  Supplies are limited.

Corporate gifts are difficult to choose because of the wide variety of employees and customers your gift must be appropriate for. Wall clocks, especially neon ones, are unique and can be personalized with your phrase and logo, but are generic enough to be pleasing to anyone.

Not all neon wall clock designs are loud and bright either. Plenty of neon wall clock designs feature stylish or ultra modern qualities that will fit any interior design theme. If you’re searching for the perfect gift or for a unique new decorative item for your home, choose a neon wall clock today.

REDMOND, Wash.  (Profitable.com)  Microsoft Corp. today announced that strong demand over the Black Friday weekend has propelled retail sales of Kinect for Xbox 360 to more than 2.5 million units worldwide since it launched just 25 days ago.

“We are thrilled about the consumer response to Kinect, and are working hard with our retail and manufacturing partners to expedite production and shipments of Kinect to restock shelves as fast as possible to keep up with demand,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “With sales already exceeding two and a half million units in just 25 days, we are on pace to reach our forecast of 5 million units sold to consumers this holiday.”

“Kinect on Xbox 360 was a top performer at Target this weekend,” said Nik Nayar, vice president, merchandising, Target. “We expect Kinect will be a must-have gift this holiday season, so Target will continue to receive consistent shipments of Kinect throughout December. The hands-free, active gaming experience that Kinect offers is something that everyone in the family can enjoy.”

Kinect is now available at more than 60,000 retailers in 38 countries. It is the only controller-free games and entertainment system available that lets you control games, movies, music and television with gestures and your voice. Retailers, reviewers and analysts are calling it a must-have gift this holiday season.

More information on Xbox 360 and Kinect for Xbox 360 is available at http://www.xbox.com/Kinect or http://www.facebook.com/xbox.

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. With the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 will forever transform social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as the largest on-demand library of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a network of 25 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NEW YORK  (Profitable.com)  Ernst & Young has been named the overall winner of the Operational Risk & Regulation’s annual consultancy rankings for the second consecutive year, and placed first in six of twelve risk and regulatory consultant service categories.

The first place category rankings included:

• Basel II/III
• Corporate governance
• Fraud/Financial crime prevention
• Operational risk
• Operational risk software selection and implementation
• Treating customers fairly

“Demand for consultancy services has increased in this era of regulatory change, and in turn, we have seen a continued up-tick in demand worldwide for advisory services across asset management, banking and capital markets, and insurance sectors,” said Hank Prybylski, Global Financial Services Risk Management Practice Leader and Americas Financial Services Advisory Leader. “Being recognized by Operational Risk & Regulation as a top financial services consulting organization demonstrates Ernst & Young’s commitment to stay ahead of the changes the industry faces and address the evolving needs of our clients.”

Changes within the regulatory landscape will continue to alter the operating environment for financial services institutions.  Most recently, demand for risk management and regulatory advisory services has been particularly strong as organizations begin to transform the way they manage their business.

Prybylski added, “As our clients come out of the financial crisis and look at how they will improve business processes — and, ultimately, gain a competitive advantage — we will work with them on defining and implementing business strategies that are consistent with the emerging regulatory landscape.”

To view the full Operational Risk & Regulations consultancy rankings, please visit www.ey.com/us/financialservices.

Ernst & Young is a leader in serving the global financial services marketplace

Nearly 35,000 Ernst & Young financial services professionals around the world provide integrated assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services to our asset management, banking, capital markets and insurance clients.

Ernst & Young professionals in our financial services practices worldwide align with key global industry groups, including Ernst & Young’s Global Asset Management Center, Global Banking & Capital Markets Center, Global Insurance Center and Global Private Equity Center, which act as hubs for sharing industry-focused knowledge on current and emerging trends and regulations in order to help our clients address key issues. Our practitioners span many disciplines and provide a well-rounded understanding of business issues and challenges, as well as integrated services to our clients.

With a global presence and industry-focused advice, Ernst & Young’s financial services professionals provide high-quality assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services, including operations, process improvement, risk and technology, to financial services companies worldwide.

It’s how Ernst & Young makes a difference.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 141,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.  For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com.

This press release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited located in the U.S.

CINCINNATI  (Profitable.com)  Define My Style, a leading online, style-centric community for girls 13-19, today announced the availability of the newest addition to its web based design experience: the DMS Marketplace. The DMS Marketplace enables members to create virtual stores to display, promote and even sell their custom products.

Since the fall launch of DMS Creator, teen community members have created thousands of unique handbag designs.  The products have names, logos and comments providing a glimpse into the brilliance and individual spirit of these young designers.  Define My Style provides the back end order processing and custom product manufacturing to allow the teens to bring their ideas to life.  

“Our members are at a fantastic age; they are curious, playful and developing their independence; design should be an expression and reflection of who you are,” says Kristine Sturgeon, Founder & CEO of Define My Style.  ”We are devoted to providing a creative, social and dynamic environment to help these teens explore design, understand the value of other perspectives and develop confidence in genuine personal expression. If the experience is engaging and even fun, we may just spark the next young designer or entrepreneur.”

“I was excited to open my own store: ‘Live.Love.Shop’ in the DMS Marketplace,” says Samantha Honroth, a 16 year old Define My Style member. “My friends and I all have the same boots and jeans. I love carrying one of my custom bags to show that I have an eye for design and the courage to show it.  It’s so much fun when someone asks me about my bag and I get to tell them that I designed it. Now I can send them to my store to see more of my creations.”  Samantha has designed an array of bags, personal logos, entered weekly contests and opened her virtual store on the first day of launch.

Since the announcement to the teen community last week, more than 150 personal stores have been opened by young ladies around the world.  Similar to the other web based DMS tools, the DMS Marketplace will see new and expanded features at a rapid pace to incorporate feedback from members.

About Define My Style

Define My Style is an online, style-centric community that empowers creative and curious teen girls, ages 13 to 19.  Define My Style provides web based tools and connections to design, share and produce custom products.  Our online design tool, DMS Creator™, sparks creativity and allows members to transform ideas into designs.  The DMS Marketplace™ empowers enterprising teens to open a virtual store to promote, sell and manufacture their personal brand of handbags.  Define My Style has been inspiring and building confidence in girls around the world since 2007.

For more information about Define My Style, please visit www.DefineMyStyle.com.

Contact:

Jennifer Mozen
pr@definemystyle.com
+1.312.436.0306

Amazon, estimated to be the most visited shopping site on Black Friday, continues to captivate holiday shoppers and whip them into a frenzy with a host of Cyber Monday Deals.  In addition, the online shopping giant still offers their Deal of the Day on deeply discounted select items.

Today’s Deal of the Day is the TomTom XXL 540M 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.  The List Price on this item is $229, but for the next several hours it’s available at only $89.99, saving savvy shoppers a whopping $139.

The TomTom XXL 540M GPS Navigator comes with a 5-inch touchscreen and includes U.S., Canada and Mexico maps as well as over seven million preloaded points of interest including gas stations, ATMs, restaurants and hotels.  Using IQ Routes Technology, it has the ability to find you the quickest route to destinations within the U.S. and Canada.

For those on your shopping list who do a lot of traveling, the TomTom XXL 540M GPS Navigator is a wise, practical choice at this price.  Shipping is only available within the U.S., but is free with Amazon’s Super Saver Shipping.

The TomTom XXL 540M 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator is only available as Amazon’s Deal of the Day on Monday, November 29th.

HORSHAM, Pa.  (Profitable.com)  Mace Security International, Inc. (“Mace” or the “Company”) (OTCQB:MACE) today announced that it completed the sale of Linkstar Corporation, the e-commerce division of its Digital Media Marketing Segment, on November 22, 2010. The sale price for the transaction was $1.1 million. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase price, or $110,000, was placed into escrow, which funds will be released to the Company in six months if there are no unsatisfied indemnity claims under the Stock Purchase Agreement. The Company netted cash of $950,000, excluding the $110,000 escrowed funds and closing costs.

“We are pleased that we were able to divest our Linkstar operation,” said Dennis Raefield, CEO and President of Mace. “The completion of this sale of non-core assets is one of the final steps towards our goal of becoming a security-focused company.”

Michael Rosenberg of Northside Advisors, an independent investment bank for digital media and related technologies, represented Mace on this transaction.

About Mace

Mace Security International, Inc. is the manufacturer of personal defense and electronic surveillance products marketed under the famous brand name Mace®, and the owner and operator of a wholesale central monitoring station. Mace’s web site is www.mace.com.

Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words or phrases “will likely result”, “are expected to”, “will continue”, “is anticipated”, “estimate”, “projected”, “intend to” or similar expressions are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties. A discussion of factors that could materially adversely affect the Company’s financial performance and cause actual results for future periods to differ materially from the statements expressed within this press release, are contained under the heading “Risk Factors” in Mace’s SEC filings, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its current reports on Form 8-K, which reports should be read in conjunction with this press release.

NEW YORK  (Profitable.com)  Social media users in the U.S. find advertising is a fair price to pay for using social media sites and features. Fifteen percent are more inclined to buy brands that advertise in social media, representing slightly more than 30 million people 13-80 years old.  Social media site ads also drive brand exploration, with 25% more inclined to find out more about brands that advertise on social media sites.  When coupled with the fact that social media use has reached almost universality, marketers may consider the medium as more than a listening tool.

These are among the key findings of a major social media study being conducted as a venture between Knowledge Networks and MediaPost Communications.

Called The Faces of Social Media(SM), the syndicated study shows that a majority (59%) of social media users say ads are a fair price to pay for social media sites and features.  The fifteen percent who are more inclined to purchase from brands that advertise on social media sites compares favorably with levels found among HDTV viewers and VOD users.

Advertisers may find those with smartphones to be more receptive to their messages, and an intersection exists with social media that is worth further marketing exploration. Of 13- to 54-years-old smartphone owners who have apps on their phone, almost a third (32%) say they are more inclined to purchase the brands that advertise or have marketing messages in the app. And almost three quarters (70%) of them say ads are a fair price to pay compared to social media’s 59 percent.

Ads within apps also appeal to smartphone owners between the ages of 13 and 54, with 40 percent saying that ads they see while using their smartphones are usually relevant to their “needs and interests.”  

The social media listening / targeting pool for marketers has also gotten more comprehensive.  Frequency of use of social media has grown in the past year, with a quarter of teens and adults using social media daily, which represents 20 percent of the American population. Overall usage has increased, with 82 percent of the teen and adult population using social media, an increase from 69 percent in 2009, the study found.

Past-year social media growth is attributable to more GenXers (those between ages 32-45) and Boomers (46-65 years-old) joining in. For GenX, usage from 2009 to 2010 increased from 70 to 85 percent. Usage among Boomers increased from 54 to 76 percent. Among Millennials/GenY — those 13- to 31-years-old — usage grew from 84 to 91 percent over the last year.

“We have learned that as social media usage has become nearly universal, its influence on inclination to purchase cannot be ignored,” said Patricia Graham, Chief Strategy Officer of Knowledge Networks.  ”Yet, we also see that the level of social media influence on categories varies widely, and that is what The Faces of Social Media additionally examines.”    

There were no dramatic changes in the impact of advertising within social media over the last year.  Similar proportions said “ads are a fair price to pay for social media sites/features” in both 2009 (63%) and 2010 (59%).  Social media users who are “more inclined to purchase from brands that advertise on social media sites/features” also remained constant, with 16 percent in 2009 and 15 percent in 2010.

“Marketers can expect more impact reaching social media users via mobile, based on these new findings,” said Chuck Martin, Director of the Center for Media Research at Media Post Communications. “As more people move to smartphones, there will be an increased opportunity for advertisers to improve their reach to consumers with increased relevance.”

The Faces of Social Media study comprised interviews with 2,242 people from KnowledgePanel®, the Knowledge Networks online panel representative of the U.S. population. The 13- to 80-year-olds were surveyed to measure their usage of social media.

The intent of the ongoing study is to measure the social media landscape and determine the influence of social media on 39 specific product categories. These include banking services, car rental, casual dining restaurants, clothing, personal care products, programs on TV, sports drinks, travel planning, among others. The categories also included Walmart and Target, as well as Super Target and Walmart Supercenter.

The study defined social media as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace, and other similar sites and services. The comparisons with 2009 social media users and to smartphone app users are based on studies previously published by Knowledge Networks in its How People Use® media and are based on people 13- to 54-years-old.

MediaPost Communications is an integrated publishing and content company whose mission is to provide a complete array of resources for media, marketing and advertising professionals. Since 1996, Mediapost.com has been the largest and most influential site on the Internet for media executives, providing news, blogs and directories to help its community of more than 100,000 members better plan and buy both traditional and online advertising. MediaPost’s Center for Media Research provides a dependable source of research material.

Knowledge Networks is passionate about research in marketing, media, health and social policy — collaborating closely with client teams throughout the research process, while applying rigor in everything we do.  The company specializes in innovative online research that consistently gives leaders in business, government, and academia the confidence to make important decisions.  KN delivers affordable, statistically valid online research through KnowledgePanel® and leverages a variety of other assets, such as world class advanced analytics, an industry-leading physician panel, an innovative platform for measuring online ad effectiveness, and a research-ready behavioral database of frequent supermarket and drug store shoppers.

Contact:
 
Patricia Graham
pgraham@knowledgenetworks.com
312-416-3660
 
Chuck Martin
chuck@mediapost.com
603-750-3020

RIVERWOODS, Ill.  (Profitable.com)  Discover card today announced that it has begun issuing Discover^® Zip^® contactless credit cards and stickers, targeted at early adopters of its mobile technology.

Select Discover cardmembers began receiving contactless cards and stickers in the mail on November 15. Additional plastics and stickers will be issued to more cardmembers beginning in January 2011. To request contactless devices Discover cardmembers can call 1-800-DISCOVER.

Discover^® Zip^® is an innovative payment solution that enables fast and convenient transactions with enhanced security features via contactless technology. Consumers simply touch a payment device, which is in the form of either a plastic card or a sticker that can be applied to a mobile phone or any personal item of their choosing, to a Zip-enabled contactless reader to make a payment. Currently, over 100,000 U.S. merchant locations offer contactless readers that accept Zip transactions at the point-of-sale, including quick service restaurants, gas station and convenient stores, retailers and pharmacies, and public transit agencies.

“At Discover, we put a high bar on value to the customer, and are always evaluating technology solutions that make things faster, safer, and more convenient for our cardmembers,” said Mark Scarborough, senior vice president of cardmember marketing at Discover. “Given how tied consumers are to their mobile devices, we know they will appreciate the tremendous value and convenience Discover Zip contactless cards and stickers provide.”

Discover is not new to the contactless space. The company’s payments business, Discover Network, has worked with merchants to certify contactless readers for many years, and was the first to test credit-based contactless stickers. Issuers, merchants, and acquirers can benefit from Discover Zip with increased transaction volume and customer loyalty.

To learn more about Discover Zip contactless cards and stickers, please click here.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company operates the Discover card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers personal and student loans, online savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its Discover Bank subsidiary. Its payment businesses consist of Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discoverfinancial.com.

DALLAS  (Profitable.com)  In another move to make TV content available in more places, AT&T* today announced that AT&T U-verse® TV customers now have full access to HBOGO.com and MAXGO.com, HBO and Cinemax’s online video destinations featuring more than 1,200 hours of streamed programming.  

Beginning today, U-verse TV residential customers who subscribe to HBO and/or Cinemax will automatically receive free, unlimited online access to HBO and Cinemax programming, respectively, at any time, from any U.S. location. You can access HBO GO and MAX GO with your U-verse TV log-in ID and password at HBO GO, MAX GO, and soon, U-verse Online.  

“We’re proud to deliver more value to U-verse TV subscribers by offering compelling content from HBO and Cinemax online,” said Dan York, president of content, AT&T. “This latest U-verse enhancement is just one more way we’re giving U-verse TV customers access to hit TV shows in more places — whether that’s on their big screen HDTV, downloaded to their smartphone with U-verse Mobile, or one of the more than 130,000 titles at U-verse Online.”

HBO GO and MAX GO will offer U-verse TV customers new titles immediately after premiering on HBO and Cinemax. HBO GO and MAX GO also give subscribers the ability to create a Watchlist that keeps track of bookmarked content for later viewing, extra content including interviews, recaps, and behind-the-scenes pieces; customizable views showing titles in slideshow, grid or list format; and Browse by Tags, a feature allowing users to find titles via keywords.  

HBO GO and MAX GO complement HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand with four times more viewing choices. HBO GO offers HBO’s acclaimed original series, HBO Films, miniseries, documentaries, HBO Sports and blockbuster movies. MAX GO allows AT&T U-verse TV customers to instantly watch the biggest Hollywood blockbusters, indies, cult favorites and MAX After Dark series. On both services, all programming is in HD.  

HBO GO and MAX GO are the latest additions to the wide selection of programming available across multiple screens for AT&T U-verse TV customers. AT&T is making TV watching available across devices, with hit TV shows available on U-verse TV, U-verse Online, U-verse TV on Xbox 360, and more than 10 qualifying smartphones with U-verse Mobile.

AT&T U-verse Online features more than 130,000 titles of TV shows, movies and video clips available for any online user on your PC. U-verse TV customers can also schedule DVR recordings directly from U-verse Online and see which of their recorded shows are available to watch online.

With U-verse Mobile, you can schedule and manage DVR recordings and, with certain U-verse TV packages, download hit TV shows on your smartphone and watch them anywhere you want.  

AT&T U-verse TV is the only 100 percent Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) service offered by a national service provider, making AT&T U-verse one of the most dynamic and feature-rich services available today. Now AT&T U-verse TV ranks “Highest in Residential Television Service Satisfaction in the North Central, South and West Regions,” according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Studies(SM). For additional information on AT&T U-verse — or to find out if it’s available in your area — visit AT&T U-verse.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine. 

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at the AT&T Web Site. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at AT&T Newsroom, and as part of an RSS feed at AT&T RSS Feed. Or follow our news on Twitter @ATT. Find us on Facebook at the AT&T Facebook to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at AT&T Small Business Facebook to discover more about our small business services.

© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Geographic and service restrictions apply to AT&T U-verse. Call or go to www.att.com/u-verse to see if you qualify. AT&T U-verse services are provided by AT&T local telephone companies. U-verse Mobile: Download and watch capability available for select shows and requires select smart phones, Wi-Fi connection, and qualifying U-verse TV plan. Downloaded shows are available for viewing for limited time periods. Ability to browse the TV guide and manage DVR available to all U-verse TV customers. Standard data charges may apply. U-verse Online: AT&T U-verse TV and High Speed Internet Account required for DVR related functions.

Wi-Fi: Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

AT&T U-verse received the highest numerical score among television service providers in the North Central, South and West regions in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Residential Television Service Satisfaction Study(SM). Study based on 28,489 total responses from measuring 12 providers in the North Central region (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI), 13 providers in the South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KS, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX), and 10 providers in the West (AZ, CA, CO, ID, IA, MN, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY) and measures consumer satisfaction with television service. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2010, April 2010 and July 2010. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com

NEW YORK  (Profitable.com)  As consumers gear up for the holiday travel season, Zagat released the results of its 2010 airline survey today. The survey covers 16 domestic and 74 international airlines, as well as 30 major domestic airports. Conducted on ZAGAT.com, the survey is based on over 8,000 frequent fliers who collectively took 139,300 flights in the past year. Zagat has reviewed the airline industry since 1990. In recent years, most major airlines’ ratings have dropped precipitously.

Surveying: Each airline was separately rated on Zagat’s signature 30-point scale on its premium and economy class service for both domestic and international flights. The airlines were rated on four aspects of their performance: (1) Comfort, (2) Service, (3) Food and (4) Website. Other categories such as Value, Timeliness, Check-in and Luggage Policy and In-Flight Entertainment were also covered.

Economy: While the industry continues to feel the effects of the recession, it has shown signs of recovery this year. Surveyors reported taking an average of 17.4 flights in 2010, which is up from 16.6 flights in 2009 and 16.3 in 2008. This is still below the all-time high of 19.7 in 2007. Business flights continue to outweigh leisure, by roughly 3-to-2.

Checking-In: When asked how they react to fees for checked luggage, 45% of surveyors say they try to avoid flying such airlines; 42% say they have frequent flyer status on an airline that waves luggage fees; 33% say they travel only with a carry-on and 18% grudgingly opt to pay the fees. Southwest Airlines is a favorite among surveyors, winning Best Check-in Experience, as well as Best Luggage Policy, Best Consumer On-Time Estimates, Top Website and Best Value among domestic airlines.

“While fliers are slowly but surely returning to the skies, they remain focused on good values and reliable service,” said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey. “Airlines like Virgin America, Southwest, JetBlue and Continental score well with surveyors for precisely this reason.”

Flying High: For the third year in a row, Continental is the Top Overall winner among large domestic airlines for its premium service. JetBlue took top honors among large economy class carriers. Virgin America is the top mid-sized carrier for both classes, earning 24 on Zagat’s 30-point scale for its premium service, and 21 for economy. International carriers continue to outperform domestic airlines. Singapore Airlines, the perennial winner, earned an impressive 28 rating for international premium class airlines and 24 for international economy service. Other international winners were Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways, all rated a 26 for premium services. The full list of winners ranked by overall score is as follows:

Book It: When it comes to booking flights, airline websites have become predominant for 64% and 63% of surveyors in the past two years, compared to 60% in 2007 and 2008. Booking through the office jumped from 2% to 10% in the same time period, while travel agents fell from 17% to 10%. A 64% majority report using their frequent flier miles to book free flights, while 28% use them for upgrades.

Airport Quality: Surveyors have once again rated Portland International as their favorite airport based on overall quality, followed by Tampa International, Salt Lake City International, Detroit Wayne County and Denver International. The bottom five airports based on overall quality are some of the busiest, John F. Kennedy International, Philadelphia International, Los Angeles International, Miami International, and, consistently coming in last place since 2007, is New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us: In-flight entertainment has become increasingly important to surveyors who have to contend with crowding and flight delays throughout the year. For the third year in a row, JetBlue (domestic) and Virgin Atlantic (international) win for “Best In-Flight Entertainment.”

Outtakes: Here is a sampling of our surveyors’ unabashed comments that our lawyers say are unfit for print:

• The only thing missing is a blindfold and a cigarette.
• At least they haven’t killed me yet.
• My bags get better service, but they pay extra.
• Flight attendants seem to have trained with Frau Blucher.
• PBS…paralyzed butt syndrome!
• The only difference between economy and business classes is a shrimp on your salad.
• “Unwelcome aboard!”
• Not sure if I really want to know that Captain Skippy is flying today.
• I don’t love getting up-close-and-personal with the head of the person in front of me .
• Who made them mad at their customers?
• Point a to point b with a bag of pretzels.
• Entree selections should be labeled “choose your poison”
• Service without a smile…or a smile without service.
• A violation of the Geneva Convention.
• Staff must use Orwell’s 1984 as a training manual.
• Only an option when it’s the only option.
• When two crummy medium-size airlines merge, all you get is a crummy large airline.
• Seats make an iron maiden seem comfortable.
• Like a cattle car, except the cows are mercifully slaughtered at trip’s end.

About Zagat Survey, LLC

Known as the “burgundy bible,” Zagat Survey is the world’s most trusted source for consumer-generated survey information. With a worldwide network of surveyors, Zagat rates and reviews restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment categories and is lauded as the “most up-to-date,” “comprehensive” and “reliable” guide, published on all platforms. Zagat content is available to consumers wherever and whenever they need it: on ZAGAT.com, ZAGAT.mobi, ZAGAT TO GO for smartphones and in book form.

NORTHFIELD, Ill.  (Profitable.com)  Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) announced today that it initiated an arbitration proceeding to challenge Starbucks Coffee Company’s attempt to end the agreement under which Kraft Foods has successfully built Starbucks retail grocery coffee business.

The strategic partnership between Kraft and Starbucks dates back to 1998, when Starbucks retail grocery coffee business was generating less than $50 million in annual revenues.  Since then, Kraft has grown the business to approximately $500 million in annual revenues through its considerable expertise and resources.  Over the years, Starbucks has recognized and acknowledged Kraft’s role in building Starbucks presence in grocery stores.

Kraft and Starbucks entered into a contract that remains in effect indefinitely, subject to certain limitations and protections.  Notably, the companies agreed to a straightforward basis under which Starbucks could take over the business in order to pursue a different arrangement. Under the agreement, there needs to be sufficient time for Kraft to execute an orderly transition and Starbucks must compensate Kraft for the fair market value of the business plus, under most circumstances, a premium of up to 35 percent of that value.

“Starbucks unilaterally and unjustifiably declared in public statements the agreement’s termination, needlessly risking confusion among customers about the agreement’s status,” said Marc Firestone, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Legal Affairs and General Counsel.  ”In effect, Starbucks is trying to walk away from a 12-year strategic partnership, from which it has greatly benefited, without abiding by contractual conditions. Kraft reasonably expected Starbucks to honor the contract. We are confident in our position and look forward to presenting the facts before the arbitrator.”

Kraft is continuing to conduct business under the terms of its contractual arrangements with Starbucks.

About Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods is building a global snacks powerhouse and an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love.  With annual revenues of approximately $48 billion, the company is the world’s second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in approximately 170 countries.  The portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion — Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats.  Approximately 70 brands generate annual revenues of more than $100 million.  Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoodscompany.com) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor’s 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.

SEATTLE  (Profitabe.com)  Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) strongly disagrees with Kraft’s recent characterizations that have appeared in the media of the terms of the agreement between the two companies, including assertions that the agreement is perpetual in nature. Starbucks actions to terminate its distribution arrangement with Kraft are consistent with the terms of the agreement between the companies, the initial term of which was set to expire in 2014 unless sooner terminated per the agreement, as well as Starbucks commitment to provide its grocery channel customers with the highest quality of service.

The agreement included a number of provisions intended to ensure that Kraft would actively protect and promote the Starbucks Coffee® and Seattle’s Best Coffee® brands, building on Starbucks position as the leading super-premium coffee brand. It also required Kraft to work closely with Starbucks, to maintain Starbucks involvement in significant marketing decisions and customer contacts. This was critical to the success of the relationship, given Starbucks market-leading position in the super-premium coffee business. Kraft did not meet its responsibilities under these aspects of the agreement. Starbucks raised these issues with Kraft, but there was never any improvement in Kraft’s performance.

Kraft’s failure to meet its responsibilities resulted in the erosion of brand equity and experience at grocery that Starbucks customers have come to expect through their experience in Starbucks stores. In light of Kraft’s failure to cure its breaches of the agreement, Starbucks has exercised its right to end the relationship. Starbucks notes that there are binding dispute resolution procedures under the agreement, and any action by either party to contest the dissolution of the agreement must be brought under those provisions. Starbucks expects to assume direct responsibility for its packaged coffee business beginning on March 1, 2011.

In taking this action, Starbucks is mindful of its commitments to the grocery channel customers who carry its packaged coffee products. Starbucks is disappointed that Kraft is not living up to its obligation to ensure an orderly transition, however Starbucks is committed to ensuring that its grocery customers experience a seamless transition and that this move benefits both their customers and Starbucks.

About Starbucks Corporation

Since 1971, Starbucks Corporation has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. In addition to its Starbucks retail stores, the company produces a wide range of branded consumer products globally, including ready-to-drink beverages, packaged coffees and premium ice creams. The company’s brand portfolio features Starbucks Coffee, Tazo Tea, Seattle’s Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia Coffee, enabling Starbucks to appeal to a broad consumer base. For more information, please visit us online at www.starbucks.com.

BENTONVILLE, Ark.  (Profitable.com)  Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced today that it has offered to acquire 51% of the shares of Massmart Holdings Limited (JSE: MSM) for ZAR148 per Massmart ordinary share.  Massmart will continue to trade on the JSE Limited to provide Massmart shareholders with the ability to participate in the growth opportunity of the combined entity.

The offer, which represents a 19.2% premium to the 30-day weighted average price on September 23, the last trading day prior to the indicative offer announced on September 27, 2010, has been unanimously recommended by the Massmart Board of Directors.

Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Walmart International, said: “We continue to be excited by the opportunity to invest in Massmart’s business and to accelerate its growth and expansion in South Africa.  The more we learn about South Africa and the surrounding countries the more we are convinced that this is an important region with attractive growth characteristics.  This combination fits perfectly with our strategy to enter high growth markets in which we can apply our global expertise and generate strong returns.  Also, this acquisition will allow us to bring to South Africa our significant experience in connecting small farmers with Walmart’s global supply chain, boosting farmer income as well as helping them improve the quality of their produce.  We hope to help South African suppliers grow their businesses, become more efficient, environmentally friendly and ultimately more competitive.”  

Andy Bond, Executive Vice President with responsibility for Walmart’s operations in the region, including the United Kingdom and Africa, commented: “The due diligence effort we have conducted over the last eight weeks has underlined our confidence that this is a compelling combination that will create significant value for both companies, and we look forward to participating in the regulatory process to complete this acquisition.  Importantly, we believe bringing Massmart and Walmart together will offer substantial benefits to Massmart customers, employees and shareholders, and will unlock new growth opportunities ahead.”  

Bond continued, “In addition to supporting Massmart’s growth strategy, we believe Walmart can drive meaningful value creation through enhanced buying efficiencies, expanded distribution and logistics capabilities and sharing of global best practices in retail formats and information technologies.”

Walmart fully understands and is supportive of the constructive position that Massmart has taken on Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), and expects to broaden and accelerate these efforts.  Walmart also intends to work closely with local partners to grow skills and foster socio-economic development in the region, and by so doing, to be a corporate and retail role model.  Further, Walmart will respect and honor all pre-existing contracts with organized labor bodies.

The offer remains subject to acceptance by Massmart’s shareholders, as well as certain customary conditions and relevant regulatory approvals in South Africa. The offer documents are expected to be mailed to Massmart’s shareholders by December 9, 2010.

About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at 8,692 retail units under 59 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2010 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

About Massmart

Massmart Holdings is a managed portfolio of nine wholesale and retail chains, and one buying group, each focused on high-volume, low-margin, low-cost distribution of mainly branded consumer goods for cash. The group operates in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa through four divisions comprising 288 stores. Massmart’s wholesale and retail brands enjoy high recognition and include Makro, Game, Dion Wired, Builders Warehouse, Builders Express, Builders Trade Depot, CBW, Jumbo Cash and Carry and the Shield buying group.

There seems to be little doubt that the holiday shopping season has blown wide open as consumers take to the aisles and the web in search of the hottest deals of 2010. 

According to the National Retail Federation, shoppers spent an estimated $45 billion over the Black Friday weekend.  According to their survey, conducted by BIGresearch, 17 million more shoppers descended upon stores and websites over last year with the average shopper spending $365.

Digital business analyst, comScore, reports that online spending for Thanksgiving Day was up 28% over last year while Black Friday jumped 9% to $648 million.  According to estimates, online sales have already reached $11.6 billion so far this season, representing a 13% increase over last year.

These numbers represent a strong indication of what lies ahead for retailers as shoppers whip out their wallets, and with Cyber Monday now upon us, online deals and bargains are ramping up.  Here’s a look at what shoppers have to look forward to this year:

Amazon.com, who has emerged as this year’s most visited online shopping destination, has thrown the cyber-doors open early on its Cyber Week Deals page.  Current deals include LG BD530 1080p Network Blu-ray Disc Players for $69.99, Logitech Squeezebox Duet Wi-Fi Internet Radios for $249, KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixers at $299.99 and Garmin nüvi 1690 4.3-Inch Portable Bluetooth Navigators for $199.99.  Amazon is also showcasing Cyber Monday Lightning Deals every hour.

Sears.com kicks off their Cyber Monday deals on Sunday, with 1 1/2 ct. tw. Black Diamond Stud Earrings in 10K white gold for $149.99, NordicTrack ACT Ellipticals for $699, and Whirlpool 25-cu. ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerators at $599.99.  They are also offering a deal where you can get a GE c1033 3X Digital Camera free with the purchase of a GE 15X Digital Camera ($149.99).

BestBuy.com has also launched a two day Cyber Sale.  Deals include Mitsubishi Home Cinema 60″ HDTV’s, Kodak EasyShare 14.0-Megapixel Digital Cameras, HP Pavilion Slimline Desktops, and XL 340T GPS TomToms.

JCPenny also begins their Cyber Monday savings early on Sunday at jcp.com, with deals on over 40,000 items and offering free shipping for purchases over $25.  Offerings include women’s boots for $29.99,  ½ ct. t.w. diamond circle earrings for $79.99, men’s athletic shoes for $38.99, and up to 60% off on their entire stock of furniture.

Target.com kicks off a week-long Cyber Sale with Canon PowerShot Digital Camera’s for $89, Biddeford Plush Electric Blankets for $44.99, Bentley Kids’ Desks for $159.99, Matchbox Mega Rig Space Shuttles for $32.00 and more.  Sale runs through Saturday, December 4th.

ToysRus.com is offering buy one get one for 50% off on Nerf and Imaginarium toys, as well as Dream Dazzlers Playsets.  Little Tikes products, Avigo and Rallye Bikes, Tron action figures and Baby Alive Dolls at 20% off.  Video games from Kinect Xbox 360 and Playstation Move are $10 off.

Office Depot launches their Cyber Monday Savings with HP G62-337NR Laptops for $399.99, MSI L1350-436US Netbooks for $199.99, 1 TB Seagate Portable Hard Drives for $89.99, Maxell 8 GB Flash Drives for $12.99 and GE A1050 10.1 Megapixel Digital Cameras for $79.99.

Lowes.com will offer 40 Cyber Monday Online Only offers, but will also continue running over 300 Black Friday deals.  Deals include Garden Treasures Outdoor Patio Heaters for $119, Black and Decker Cordless Drills for $59.97, Cusinart Griddlers at $94.99 and GE  4′ Pine Decorative Artificial Tree with Clear Lights for $48.

Kmart.com is offering Essential Home Complete Bed sets for $29.99, Microfiber Comforters at $9.99 and Olympus 14MP Digital Cameras for $89.99.

Belk.com is offering 20% off sale and clearance purchases, as well as 15% off home and shoes.  Shoppers will need to enter coupon code 95488856 at checkout.  Free shipping automatically applies.

In addition to cashmere sweaters, down jackets and other offers, LandsEnd.com will also be hosting a 12 hour Twitter event beginning at 9 a.m.  Tweeters will need to follow @LandsEndPR and #landsend in order to learn about other offers as they become available.

For crafting enthusiasts, ConsumerCrafts.com will be offering between 30% and 50% off yarn, candy making supplies, scrapbooking material, home decor and other craft supplies.

MINNEAPOLIS  (Profitable.com)  The 96.5 million people who shopped Cyber Monday last year¹ can find savings online a day earlier because once again, BestBuy.com is unleashing its specials on Sunday, Nov. 28. With free online shipping on hundreds of thousands of products until Dec. 21 and a variety of convenient in-store pickup options, it’s never been easier to shop the widest selection of technology gifts that will top holiday wish lists.

“We’ve heard from our customers that they’re shopping our online channels more than ever and checking back often to get the best deals on the latest tech gifts,” said John Thompson, senior vice president and general manager of BestBuy.com. “We’re committed to meeting our customers’ changing needs with a superior online experience and delivering the products we know they want at the best prices.”

As part of the 2-day Cyber Sale, Best Buy is discounting select items online including:

• 32″ LCD TV for just for $259.99
• Save $100 on a Dell laptop for $379.99
• Free GPS with 8GB iPod Touch
• Verizon HTC Incredible – free with 2 year activation ($599.99 reg price)
• Video Games for $34.99; plus buy 2 from select titles and get a free $10 gift card
• 15% Off Select Major Appliances

Additional Best Buy Cyber Week features include:

• A new hot Deal of the Day offer beginning Nov. 30 through Dec. 23. Available for only 24 hours, these deals offer online shoppers excellent value on the hottest holiday gifts such as TVs, gaming devices, mobile phones and computing.
• Free online shipping on hundreds of thousands of products through Dec. 21 to make it easier than ever for consumers to get their hands on the latest gifts, including all CDs, Blu-Ray and DVD movies as well as gaming software and accessories.
• Most of the Cyber Sale deals will also be available for store pickup with enhanced options such as same-day pickup in store, the ability to have someone else pick up the order or ship out-of-stock items to their local Best Buy at no additional cost.
• Cyber Week deals and comprehensive solutions will be made available across all online channels, including Best Buy’s mobile website, m.bestbuy.com.
• Customers can conveniently return BestBuy.com purchases to any Best Buy store

For more information on Cyber Monday, please visit www.bestbuy.com.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, Mexico and Turkey, Best Buy is a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services with a commitment to growth and innovation. The Best Buy family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than $49 billion in annual revenue and includes brands such as Best Buy; Best Buy Mobile; Audiovisions; The Carphone Warehouse; Future Shop; Geek Squad, Jiangsu Five Star; Magnolia Audio Video; Napster; Pacific Sales; and The Phone House. Approximately 180,000 employees apply their talents to help bring the benefits of these brands to life for customers through retail locations, multiple call centers and Web sites, in-home solutions, product delivery and activities in our communities. Community partnership is central to the way we do business at Best Buy. In fiscal 2010, we donated a combined $25.2 million to improve the vitality of the communities where our employees and customers live and work.

For more information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com and follow @BBYNews on Twitter.

¹ From the National Retail Federation

SAN MATEO, CA  (Profitable.com)  The U.S. online retail sector delivered double digit growth on Black Friday 2010 compared to the same period last year, according to analytics-based findings by IBM (NYSE: IBM). These findings expand on IBM’s earlier forecast that in-store sales of consumer electronics and appliances in U.S. retail stores would get an early start this year, with consumers spending a larger-than-usual share in November.

Delivered as part of Coremetrics, an IBM Company’s third annual Black Friday Benchmark Report, the analysis of the online retail sector reveals the following trends as of 12:00 am PST compared to Black Friday 2009 (year/year):

• Consumer Spending Increases: Online sales were up a healthy 15.9 percent, with consumers pushing the average order value (AOV) up from $170.19 to $190.80 for an increase of 12.1 percent.
• Luxury Goods Make a Comeback: Jewelry retailers reported a 17.6 percent increase in sales. These affluent shoppers appear very willing to open their wallets.
• Surgical Shopping: Consumers know what they want and where to get it. People are viewing 18.0 percent fewer products on sites than they did last year, suggesting that they are shopping with a specific item in mind and quickly moving on.
• Social Shopping: Consumers appear increasingly savvy about their favorite brands’ social presence, and are turning to their networks on social sites for information about deals and inventory levels. While the percentage of visitors arriving from social network sites is fairly small relative to all online visitors — nearly 1 percent — it is gaining momentum, with Facebook dominating the space.
• Mobile Shopping: Consumers are also embracing mobile as a shopping tool. On Black Friday, 5.6 percent of people logged onto a retailer’s site using a mobile device, a jump of 26.7 percent compared to the prior Friday.

“On Black Friday, consumers came, they clicked and they shopped their way across the Internet, and this time, they weren’t just looking for bargains,” said John Squire, chief strategy officer, IBM Coremetrics. “Consequently, we’re watching online retail, and increasingly social media and mobile, become the growth engines for retailers everywhere as consumers embrace online shopping not only for its ease and convenience, but as a primary means of researching goods and services.”

Retail Categories

• Department stores have become the research engine of choice for consumers looking for Black Friday deals and product promotions. As a consequence, shoppers are spending 17.7 percent more time year over year on department store sites.
• Health and Beauty also reported a rise of 73.1 percent in the number of new consumers completing their first purchase on their sites and a 53.4 percent jump in the number of visits in which consumers completed an order.
• In-Store Sales in the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Sector are expected to increase 3.5 percent this year compared to last, with consumers spending a larger-than-usual share in November, according to an analytics-based forecast from IBM’s Global Business Services division. U.S. consumers have been increasing their savings relative to disposable income, from 2 percent in 2007 to nearly 6 percent today, leading to strong pent-up demand this holiday season for consumer electronics and appliances, both of which are typically seen as necessities in the present-day economy.

Source

These findings are based on data from Coremetrics Benchmark™, the only analytics-based, peer-level benchmarking solution that measures online marketing results, including real-time sales data. Benchmark leverages Coremetrics’ cloud-based web analytics platform to rapidly collect and analyze intelligence on how consumers are responding to the products and services being offered to them, enabling clients to make fact-based, accurate decisions on marketing expenditures. As a result, marketing teams can gain deeper insight about their consumers and present personalized recommendations, promotions and other sales incentives across the wide variety of channels — including social networks and mobile devices — where consumers interact with their brands.

Benchmark gathers data directly from the web sites of more than 500 leading U.S. retailers. All data is aggregated and anonymized. Bloomingdale’s, L’Occitane en Provence, Macy’s, PETCO and Ross-Simons are just a few of the participating companies.

Attachments

1. Complete Coremetrics Black Friday Benchmark Report (pdf)
2. Press FAQ

About Coremetrics®, an IBM Company

Coremetrics®, an IBM Company, a leading provider of web analytics and marketing optimization solutions helps businesses relentlessly optimize their marketing programs to make the best offer, every time, anywhere, automatically. More than 2,100 online brands globally use Coremetrics Software as a Service (SaaS) to optimize their online marketing. Coremetrics integrated marketing optimization solutions include real-time personalized recommendations, email targeting, display ad targeting across leading ad networks, and search engine bid management. The company’s solutions are delivered on the only online analytics platform designed to anticipate the needs of every customer, automate marketing decisions in real time, and syndicate information across all customer channels.

SAN JOSE, Calif.  (Profitable.com)  PayPal today announced Black Friday shopping results, showing a rise in online and mobile sales on what is traditionally the biggest shopping day for brick and mortar stores. The company reported approximately a 27 percent increase in total payment volume on Black Friday 2010, compared to the previous year.

Proving that the online and offline worlds are blurring, PayPal saw an approximately 310 percent increase in mobile shopping on Black Friday.

“The tough economy has made shoppers more price-conscious, and this year’s Black Friday results show that they’re going online to find the best deals,” said Amanda Pires, senior director at PayPal. “With the convenience of shopping from a laptop or mobile phone, more people are choosing to avoid the long lines, parking chaos and early morning rush in exchange for great online deals available from the comfort of their homes.”

Other PayPal results from Black Friday 2010 included:

• PayPal found that the official holiday shopping season began on Monday, November 15, 2010.
• On Black Friday 2010, consumers shopped most frequently between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. PST.
• Black Friday 2010 resulted in 21 percent more total payment volume compared to Thanksgiving 2010.
• PayPal saw 19 percent more payment volume on Black Friday 2010 compared to an average Friday in 2010.
• PayPal processes 16.5 percent of U.S. eCommerce and 15 percent of global eCommerce.

About PayPal

PayPal is the faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. The service allows members to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts, credit cards or promotional financing. With more than 90 million active accounts in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global ecommerce. PayPal is an eBay (Nasdaq:EBAY) company and is made up of three leading online payment services: the PayPal global payment service, the Payflow Gateway and Bill Me Later.

More information about the company can be found at PayPal.com. PayPal is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. and its international headquarters is located in Singapore.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.  (Profitable.com)  Leading online retailer Buy.com® today reported its best Black Friday performance in company history, with more than 45 percent year-over-year sales growth on the Buy.com site (as of 5 p.m. PST on Friday, Nov. 26). A major driver of the company’s overall growth included sales through Buy.com’s marketplace, which grew by more than 100 percent compared to Black Friday of last year.

Consumers flocked in record numbers to Buy.com, which offers the e-commerce industry’s best 45-day return policy (with no restocking fees), free shipping with no minimum purchase on nearly 2.7 million products and the recently introduced free “Rakuten Super Points” customer loyalty program to award shoppers with points toward future purchases.  

These incentives, combined with Buy.com’s wide product selection and the industry’s best deals, spurred a strong opening for the 2010 holiday shopping season.

“Shoppers have come to know Buy.com as a one-stop destination for the best return on their dollar,” said Neel Grover, CEO and president of Buy.com. “Our initial holiday results point to a strong start of the season, as consumers responded favorably to the newest initiatives we put in place to create an even more wallet-friendly shopping experience.”

About Buy.com

With more than 18 million customers, Buy.com is a leading retail marketplace, focused on providing its customers with a great shopping experience and a broad selection of retail goods at everyday low prices. Buy.com offers millions of products in a range of categories, including consumer electronics, computer hardware and software, cell phones, books, music, DVDs, games, toys, bags, fragrance, home and outdoor, baby, jewelry, shoes, apparel and sporting goods. Founded in June 1997, Buy.com is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif.  Buy.com is owned by Rakuten, Japan’s leading Internet Company.  Together, Rakuten and Buy.com represent one of the world’s largest online retail marketplaces, offering consumers more than 70 million products from nearly 35,000 merchants around the globe.

Buy.com® and The Internet Superstore™ are trademarks of Buy.com Inc.

Columbus, OH  (Profitable.com)  Fun to wear, easy to order and delivered right to your home! Introducing Ponytails Lights© – the hair accessory that brightly blinks in your favorite colors. Each Ponytail Light has an on/off switch and batteries last 50 – 60 hours.

They are the perfect holiday gift for your favorite cheerleader. Coaches can show their appreciation by outfitting the entire squad with Ponytail Lights.

Ponytail Lights aren’t just for cheerleaders. They are the perfect accessories to any slumber party, goodie bag or school spirit event. Ponytail Lights are a great tool for nighttime safety. Use them as a collar for your dog on evening walks and wear them around your wrist to help stay in sight for trick-or-treating or nighttime sports.

Ponytail Lights are $8.99 each or two for $14.99. They are available in blue, green, red, purple or red/white/blue. They are on sale now at http://www.ponytaillights.com. Fundraising and special orders are also available. You may contact Ponytail Lights through their website.

Ponytail Lights is proud to support four national charities this holiday season. You may make a donation of $1 to one of the following charities, ASPCA, The Wounded Warrior Project, The Stephanie Spielman Breast Cancer Fund or the Marine Fund Toys for Tots.

Don’t miss the opportunity to be a trendsetter….be the first to sport a Ponytail Light!

Contact:
Andrew Dutcher
Taillights, LLC
614-937-4444

Irvine, CA  (Profitable.com)  LarsonJewelers.com, the leading online retailer of tungsten wedding bands, is proud to announce the introduction of their cobalt chrome rings line for men, just in time for the holiday shopping season. This line will feature Benchmark’s complete cobalt chrome line.

Customers have become increasingly interested in cobalt chrome lately because of its platinum white color. Once again, LarsonJewelers.com, a company that tirelessly works to bring their customers the latest styles, has collaborated with Benchmark Rings to bring this exciting line to the bridal jewelry market. “There are many men out there who want their wedding bands to match in color to their partner’s platinum or white gold engagement ring. They would also like to achieve this without going over budget and get a ring that more scratch resistant than gold or platinum.” says Jonathan Larson, founder of Larson Jewelers ”This new line is made just for them.”

Cobalt chrome is naturally white like platinum. In fact, when a cobalt chrome ring is placed next to a platinum or white gold ring, one cannot distinguish a color difference. Cobalt Chrome is also very durable. It is just as hard as titanium and is completely hypoallergenic. This is because Cobalt Chrome has been used in medicine for decades to make artificial joints, which are implanted inside the human body. Therefore, this metal’s biocompatibility is very high, meaning it is well tolerated by a body’s tissues.

All of the cobalt chrome wedding bands in this new line are comfort-fit, which means the inside of the rings are rounded so they slide on and off your finger with less friction. Just like all of Benchmark’s other rings, this new line is also backed by their industry leading lifetime warranty, which covers size exchanges in case of change in finger size over one’s lifetime and protects against accidental damage; all this at no additional cost to the consumer.

About LarsonJewelers.com

LarsonJewelers.com provides a wide selection of tungsten wedding bands, palladium rings, cobalt chrome rings, ceramic rings and titanium rings. At Larson Jewelers, we strive to provide the best customer service to make your shopping experience hassle free and informative. ”Besides offering great products and great service, LarsonJewelers.com also offers the best prices,” says Larson. ”In fact, if you can find a better price, not only will we match it, we will beat it.”

For a limited time, customers can use coupon code: HOT20 to take an additional 20% off any of their products including the new cobalt chrome line.

Medford, OR  (Profitable.com)  Music gear retailer Musician’s Friend is offering free shipping through the holidays on all new and used musical instruments and audio equipment. Within the U.S., the service covers nearly 70,000 items including most heavy gear like drum sets, amplifiers, pianos, and speakers. Musician’s Friend aims to put music within easy reach of musicians after its findings showed that even in a challenged economy, people pursue the meaningful activities they enjoy.

In addition to free shipping, the company is offering discounted musical instruments and audio gear through its Deal Center and providing thrifty music gift ideas for kids and musicians alike in its Drum Central and holiday gift guide.

About Musician’s Friend

Musician’s Friend, Inc. is the world’s largest direct marketer of musical instruments and has been headquartered in Medford, Oregon, since its inception in 1983. With more than 70,000 unique products for sale, the company covers a wide range of musical needs, including guitars, basses, amplifiers, keyboards, live sound, recording equipment, drums, percussion, woodwind, brasswind, and orchestral stringed instruments, as well as gift certificates and related accessories that are marketed through its print catalog and Musician’s Friend website.

The Musician’s Friend website also offers informative musicians’ resources, including in-depth buying guides, tech tips, hands-on gear reviews, articles from highly respected music industry professionals, interviews with well-known artists, and 860,000 customer-written product reviews and ratings.

With warehousing in Kansas City, Missouri, and a call center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Musician’s Friend can be contacted at 800-776-5173

Musician’s Friend is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guitar Center, the world’s leading retailer of musical equipment.

Questions regarding this press release should be directed to contact(at)musiciansfriend(dot)com.

Jacksonville, FL  (Profitable.com)  Smartphones Technologies unveiled two new apps for sports fans- College Basketball Scoreboard and College Football Scoreboard. Both apps are available now on Apple’s iTunes App Store and Google’s Android Market.

College Football Scoreboard and College Basketball Scoreboard give sports fans up to the minute college scores, schedules and news stories for major conferences, including: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Big Sky, Big South, Colonial Athletic (CAA), Conference USA, Ind (FBS & FCS), Ivy League, Mid-American (MAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Pac-10, Patriot League, SEC, Sun Belt, Southern, Southland, and WAC.

Features include:

• Custom scores feeds by conference. The ticker shows scores from your selected conference first, then other Top 25 games.
• Sharing scores and news stories via Facebook, Twitter and Email from within the app.
• Both apps include a free, ad supported version and a paid version with no ads.  
• To see the iPhone Scoreboard apps, go to: http://bit.ly/e6MQum
• To see the Android Scoreboard apps, go to this URL on an Android device: http://bit.ly/i2FJ17 (link will not work on a computer)

Smartphones Technologies also publishes College SuperFans apps for 85 colleges and universities, as well as officially licensed College Clock Widgets, Live Wallpapers and Interactive Themes.

About Smartphones Technologies

Founded in 2002, Smartphones Technologies is a mobile application publisher specializing in next generation content for all the most popular platforms including iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Smartphones Technologies has developed applications for leading brand owners and its application library is available on carriers, portals and App Stores worldwide. Smartphones has licensing agreements with more than 180 colleges and universities. Based in Jacksonville, FL, Smartphones Technologies is privately held. For more information, please visit http://www.smartphonestech.com.

NOKOMIS, FL  (Profitable.com)  Just Poppin Popcorn, the leading website for gourmet mushroom popcorn, announces the debut of their new holiday gift line. The gift line includes more than 30 items of unique and delicious gift ideas for the holidays. Shoppers can choose from a variety of beautiful, holiday themed popcorn tins, filled with a variety of decadent, flavored gourmet popcorn. Some of the flavors include delicious and buttery caramel popcorn, gourmet Cheddar Cheese popcorn, and even French Vanilla flavored popcorn! In addition to the holiday tins, Just Poppin also has a selection of popcorn accessories for holiday shoppers to choose from, including a stainless steel oil mister, “Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper”, popcorn toppings, popcorn seasonings, and more.

“As you’d expect, this is the busiest time of year for us,” said Buck Smolow of Just Poppin Popcorn. “Some of our biggest sellers so far have been the Mushroom Popcorn, Kernal Katcher Popcorn Bowls, Movie Popcorn and Carmel Popcorn! We not only sell the best popcorn, with huge mushroom sized kernels, but we also have many learning resources and tools on our web site that can teach you step-by-step how to make these things yourself from the comfort of your home. Being at home with your family is what the holidays are all about!”

With the holidays around the corner, Just Poppin encourages people to spend time at home with their friends and family, and enjoy delicious popcorn as an easy, healthy snack or party food. Then, any leftover popcorn can be used for kids’ arts and crafts or strung up and used as a decoration for the tree. Of course left over popcorn also makes great bird food for your little friends outside.

The new gourmet popcorn gift line can be found on the Just Poppin Popcorn website http://www.JustPoppin.com. Orders must be placed by December 19th to ensure proper delivery before Christmas.

About Just Poppin

JustPoppin.com is the leading website for the sale of gourmet mushroom popcorn kernels, hullless popcorn, popping sorgum, tiny kernel popcorn, and movie theater popcorn kernels. In addition to selling popcorn kernels for home, office, and business use. Just Poppin sells a variety of flavored popcorn in popcorn tins for holiday gift packs. They pop and flavor the corn right at the farm so it’s always fresh and delicious. Just Poppin’s owners have been selling online since 1998 and have outstanding ratings across their different sales venues. They are listed as “Very Trustworthy” by the online reputation ratings service TrustPlus. For More information about how Just Poppin Popcorn can be used for corporate gift giving or fund raising contact Buck Smolow at 941-234-4773 or visit their web site http://www.JustPoppin.com.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.  (Profitable.com)  This Cyber Monday, sears.com and kmart.com are offering customers amazing deals and extra savings site-wide on some of the most popular products, along with services and features that make online shopping easy, quick and convenient. Whether shopping from a computer or a smart phone, customers can take advantage of hot deals no matter where they are. They can also buy online, pick up in-store to save even more and avoid the wait. From curbside pick up to free shipping*, customers can find what they want and get it how they want it, at amazing prices.

“Cyber Monday is the busiest online shopping day of the year and we know customers trust Sears and Kmart to provide phenomenal deals and shopping features that save money and time,” said Imran Jooma, president of eCommerce at Sears Holdings. “Sears.com offers convenient online shopping features such as Sears’ buy online pick up in-store with third-party pick up. In addition, kmart.com now offers store pick up through the innovative mygofer service, providing customers even more shipping and delivery choices.”

On Cyber Monday, customers shopping on sears.com or via Sears2go will be able to take advantage of online and mobile holiday specials, including*:

• 1 1/2 ct. tw. Black Diamond Stud Earrings in 10K white gold $149.99 (regularly $499.99)
• Buy a GE 15X Digital Camera $149.99 get a GE c1033 3X Digital Camera FREE ($69.99 value)
• Whirlpool 25-cu. ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerator (in black and white) $599.99 (regularly $799.99)
• NordicTrack ACT Elliptical PLUS free delivery $699.99 (regularly $1,999.99)
• Outer Edge Puffer Vest $9.99 (regularly $20.00)

Kmart.com is making Christmas count this Cyber Monday with online deals to ease the stress of holiday shopping including:

• Sterling Silver 5 Piece Cultured Pearl Stud Set $16.99 (regularly $89.99)
• Olympus 14MP Gray Digital Camera FE4020 PLUS Free Shipping $89.99 (regularly $149.99)
• Essential Home Complete Bed (all sizes one price) $29.99 (regularly $49.99)
• Microfiber Comforter (any size) $9.99 (regularly $19.99)

Sears.com and kmart.com continue to enhance their online shopping services to provide customers choice and convenience, in addition to quality and affordable products.

“It’s the holidays – customers want to shop efficiently and get the most bang for their buck,” added Jooma. “Sears.com and kmart.com offer incredible prices and shopping services to help get customers through the busy holiday. Our personal shopper and mobile shopping options give customers the ability to shop quickly, easily – when and where it’s most convenient for them.”

These online shopping enhancements are all part of Sears Holdings’ ShopYourWay services, which launched last year. Highlights of the ShopYourWay program include:

• Free Shipping**—On sears.com, customers can use promo code CYBER to receive free shipping on qualified orders totaling more than $49. Kmart.com offers free shipping on orders over $29 with promo code KMGIFTS.
• Sears2go, Kmart2go and mygofer—Mobile commerce websites and smart phone apps that enable customers to find and buy select merchandise from their mobile phone 24/7.
• Choice to Get It Today—Sears offers buy online pick up in-store, third-party and curbside pick up. Kmart introduces buy online pick up in-store powered by the innovative mygofer service.
• Product Assortment—Find millions of products on sears.com and kmart.com, ranging from books and electronics to jewelry, appliances, clothing, shoes, tools and power lawn & garden equipment.
• Payment Choices—Pay your way with Online Layaway, Express Checkout, PayPal or eBillme.
• International shipping—Shop and then ship the world over. Send holiday gifts to friends and family in 90 countries.

Cyber Monday deals for sears.com will be available online starting Sunday, November 28, 2010 at 8:00pm CST. Kmart deals are available Monday, November 29, 2010 beginning at 12:01 am CST. Visit www.sears.com and www.kmart.com for more information.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD) is the nation’s fourth largest broadline retailer, with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, consumer electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands’ End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation’s largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings’ website at www.searsholdings.com.

About mygofer.com

mygofer.com is a service that turbo-charges brick-and-mortar retailer assortments by allowing customers to get items from those stores where and when they want them in new, convenient ways. mygofer.com provides a one-stop shopping experience, offering a range of quality products including groceries, prescriptions, health and beauty products, and electronics. It’s fast and easy – the same day you place your order, it is available within hours for pick up at local participating Kmart and Sears stores, and in some locations for delivery. For more information, visit www.mygofer.com is a proud member of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD).

*Only available on sears.com on Monday, November 29 beginning at 12:00:01 am CT and ending Monday, November 29 at 11:59:59 pm CT. Discounts apply only to items sold by Sears. Limited quantities per store. No rainchecks.

**Free shipping applies to qualified orders $49 or more on sears.com with promo code CYBER. Kmart.com free shipping applies to qualified orders $29 or more when using promo code KMGIFTS. Items must be mailed and marked “Sold by Sears” or “Sold by Kmart” to be eligible. See sears.com and kmart.com for details.

BENTONVILLE, Ark.  (Profitable.com)  Walmart (NYSE: WMT) announced today that it will launch its Cyber Week of savings early this year, offering six days of unbelievable prices on a large assortment of must-have holiday items while supplies last.  More than 150 holiday gifts and other items will be offered online at Walmart.com beginning on Sunday, Nov. 28 through Friday, Dec. 3.  

Walmart’s Cyber Week event gives families amazing offers on a wide assortment of holiday gifts from electronics, toys and video games to home furnishings, apparel, beauty products and personalized items with new savings added daily.  In addition, almost all Cyber Week items ship free to your home(1) or to your local Walmart store with Site to Store.(2)

“This year, we have increased the number of online specials by 25 percent to offer industry-leading savings on top items throughout Cyber Week so our customers can bring home more for less this Holiday,” said Steve Nave, senior vice president and general manager, Walmart.com. “We are also kicking off Cyber Week one day early to give our customers more time to save and the majority of items are available for free shipping.”

Walmart’s Cyber Week holiday savings kick off Sunday, Nov. 28 through Friday, Dec. 3.  Featured items include:

Electronics and Gaming:

• Philips 8GB Vibe MP3 Video Player – $39.98
• Garmin Nuvi 295W 3.5″ Portable GPS – $89  
• Viore 24″ Class LED-LCD HDTV – $199
• HP Mini 210 Netbook PC – $318
• Sony PlayStation 3 Entertainment Value Bundle (includes PS3 160GB console, choice of 2 games, choice of Blu-ray movie and Sony Blu-ray remote) – $388
• Element 42″ Class LED-LCD HDTV – $499
• HP 17.3″ DV7 Laptop PC  – $578

Toys:

• Hot Wheels Turbo Town Mega Garage Playset (includes five ramps, working car elevator and two car launchers)– $29
• VTech MobiGo Touch Learning Game Bundle (includes Toy Story 3 Bonus Software Cartridge) – $49.97

Cameras and Personalized Gifts:

• FujiFilm Digital Camera Bundle (includes camera case, 4GB SD card and 100 4″ x 6″ prints from Walmart One Hour Photo)  – $89
• Kodak Easyshare Digital Camera – $199
• Personalized Photo Christmas Stockings with a bonus stocking holder – $10

Customers can find Cyber Week pricing updates by following Walmart on twitter at @WalmartSpecials.    

(1) Offer not valid on automotive tires and Walmart Marketplace items. Shipping surcharges may still apply in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

(2) Depending on item and availability.  Marketplace items cannot be returned to stores

About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,400 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2010 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Walmartnews. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

MOORESVILLE, N.C.  (Profitable.com)  If you missed shopping with Lowe’s on Black Friday, the Black Friday offers are still available in the store Monday and until 3 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Nov. 30 on Lowes.com. Cyber Monday on Lowes.com not only will include the 300-plus Black Friday offers, but also 40 Cyber Monday Online Only offers.

The Cyber Monday offers include:

• Garden Treasures 41,000 BTU Outdoor Patio Heater, #328157, was $189, now $119
• Cuisinart Griddler™, #319854, was $129, now $94.99
• Black and Decker 18-Volt 3/8” Cordless Drill with Case, #295424, was $79.97, now $59.97
• Kobalt 227-Piece Socket Set, #266610, was $199, now $99.98
• 2 Pack GE 4’ Pine Decorative Artificial Christmas Tree with Clear Lights, #257986, was $98, now $48

Lowe’s also offers free shipping on all orders (no minimum purchase required) through Cyber Monday. Lowe’s wants to make shopping easy, any way you shop, in-store or online, so our customers also can buy online and pick up in-store with our NEW 20-minute guarantee.

While you check out the Cyber Monday deals, don’t forget about the Lowe’s Gift List Builder, available at Lowes.com/giftlist. Browse the online catalog of the hottest gifts for the holidays, select exactly what you want and then share it with family and friends via email or Facebook.

In addition, Lowe’s has introduced new navigation to improve the online shopping experience. The new navigational tools make it easier for customers to find products, savings, inspiration, how-to videos, articles and DIY help.

For more information on our Cyber Monday offers and to find a Lowe’s store near you, visit Lowes.com.

About Lowe’s

With fiscal year 2009 sales of $47.2 billion, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE® 50 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,725 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Sears and Kmart will be extending their Black and Blue Friday festivities this year by offering special deals all the way through to Christmas. They are setting out to make it possible for you to spend more time with your family during the holidays by offering deals every week until Christmas. Both are also offering their Layaway options, not only in the store, but online as well. If you were thinking that these extended deals would lessen their Black Friday deals, think again. Both Sears and Kmart are still offering fantastic door busting sales on Black Friday.

Sears will be opening its doors on Black Friday at 4 a.m., offering deals on everything from fashion to tools and electronics. If you need a new washer and dryer, Sears should be the first stop for you. They are offering a Kenmore front-loading set at a savings of over 50%. You get both the washer and the dryer for only $599.98. They are also offering a 24” RCA LED HDTV for $229.99. If you’re shopping for jewelry this year, don’t count Sears out. They are adding an extra 20% off of all fine jewelry going up to 60% off. You can also get a ½ ctw Diamond ring, necklace or bracelet for only $79.99.

Kmart will be opening its doors for Blue Friday at 5 a.m.  Keeping with tradition, the sales will extend from apparel to electronics. Women’s wool peacoats and men’s bomber jackets are going for $19.99 and complete bedding sets for $28. They are also offering a Zenith 42” Plasma HDTV for $399.99 plus giving you 25,000 “Shop Your Way” rewards points. Finally they are even offering a 6’ Appalachian pine tree for $19.99, so you can bring home the tree to put the presents under.

If Black Friday crowds aren’t your thing, Sears and Kmart both offer online shopping, ship-to-store and in-store pick up.

LONDON  (Profitable.com)  Escapade fancy dress has revealed that early sales figures are indicating that kids across the country will be seeing a lot less of Father Christmas this year, despite the store having one of its widest and most varied collection of Santa costumes to date.

Leading fancy dress retailer Escapade has revealed that sales of Santa costumes to date have been at their lowest since the turn of the new millennium but strangely there have been increases in sales across the rest of the Christmas range of costumes.

However the fancy dress retailers do not believe there is a lack of Christmas cheer in the UK this season but instead believe the downturn in Santa costume sales may have been the result of two reasons; the current state of the economy and the proposed VAT increase during January 2011, which has had customers tightening their belts during the festive season.

The other possibility is down to the fact that there appears to be a decrease in Santa related advertising in the media this year, so sales figures may simply be delayed and other Christmas costumes become more popular.

Director of Escapade, Bhupendra Maisuria commented: “It’s been an interesting start to the festive period in regards to the Santa costume sales however I think the general consensus is that Santa is an obvious choice for dressing up for Christmas parties and customers are looking to be original with their costumes.”

Bhupendra went on to add: “We are expecting to see a rise in popularity in other Christmas costumes such as Christmas trees and even Jesus as a result of this.” 

About Escapade

Escapade has been established for more than 28 years having been founded in 1982. Escapade has thousands of specialist fancy dress costumes and accessories including Batman costumes, 80s fancy dress and adult fancy dress.

Over its 28 years in business Escapade has built up an enviable client list – supplying to retail customers, businesses, schools, charities and many TV companies including BBC, CBBC, Walt Disney, MTV, Nickelodeon and Channel 4. Escapade costumes have helped to provide many iconic moments including the “House of Fun” video by Madness and Comic Relief’s Celebrity Apprentice which were filmed at Escapade’s Camden store. Many Escapade fancy dress costumes were also used in the popular TV series “Trigger Happy TV” starring Dom Joly and the store was featured on Gok Wan’s “How to look Good Naked”.

Restaurant.com is giving restaurant diners an opportunity to save 80% on restaurant gift cards and certificates, but you’ll have to act fast because this deal ends Sunday.

Restaurant gift cards and restaurant gift certificates are already expected to be a hot holiday gift item. According to the National Restaurant Association, 78 percent of adults say they would like to receive restaurant gift cards or certificates on gift occasions.

Restaurant.com’s gift cards come in denominations of $25, $50 or $100.

To take advantage of Restaurant.com’s deal, use the code SAVE at checkout when placing an order on their website.

• Get 80% off Restaurant.com Gift Cards!
  Use code SAVE at checkout now through 11/28/10.
• Get 80% off Restaurant.com $25 Gift Certificates & enter to win a 46″ HDTV!
  Use code SAVE at checkout now through 11/28/10.

Restaurant.com offers more than 35,000 gift certificate options daily, served up by more than 15,000 restaurants. The company is currently celebrating ten years of “Savings, Meals & Memories”.

On September 30, 2010, Restaurant.com offered its first ever daily deal, providing restaurant diners with great savings. Over 1.5 million gift certificates were sold as a result, which could potentially drive $105 million in revenue to restaurants nationwide.

Last week, Restaurant.com named the entire city of New Orleans as its November “Restaurant of the Month”. The announcement, meant to pay homage to the city’s cultural cuisine, puts a new spin on the company’s monthly restaurant spotlight.

NEW YORK  (Profitable.com)  With the traditional holiday shopping season just beginning, retail stores and online merchants are angling to capture their share of consumer spending. StrategyOne, a Daniel J. Edelman strategic research and measurement consultancy firm, today launched its annual Holiday Shopping Index to help forecast the shape of this year’s holiday spending – especially in the early weeks of the season. The survey concluded that 88% of consumers have more gifts and presents still to purchase, and 79% are undecided about exactly what gifts to buy this year.

Designed to provide a weekly quantitative appraisal of how much shopping consumers have to do, this weekly survey provides insights into consumer attitudes and perceptions surrounding their gift shopping habits and focuses on the specific shopping plans of individual consumers and how they evolve over the course of the season.  The Index opened at 83.8 points and was determined based on a poll of 1,035 Americans conducted last week by StrategyOne.  

“With Americans just turning their attention to the holiday season, it’s a critical time for retailers and marketers to reach undecided consumers,” said Bradley Honan, senior vice president of StrategyOne. “This is especially true for consumers who are looking for sales or other incentives to get them into stores.”

Additional Key Findings:

• With the nation still grappling with an economic downturn, value is an important consideration for consumers, with 86% reporting they would be happy to see more discounts and bargains in stores during their holiday shopping.
• Looking at planned holiday shopping budgets, 39% of Americans said they expect to spend between $100 and $400 this year on gifts, 23% plan to spend $400 to $700, 10% expect to spend $700 to $1,000, and 7% plan to spend $1,000 or more.
• Forty percent said that they hadn’t done more holiday shopping yet because they were waiting for better deals or lower prices, while 27% reported that uncertainty over what to buy had delayed their gift purchases.
• Seventy-six percent of consumers also reported they had spent less than 50% of their expected holiday budget – and 41% said they had only spent 10% or less of their expected total.
• Just 12% said they knew exactly what presents and gifts to buy for their remaining purchases.

This week’s index level will also serve as the baseline figure for the remaining weeks of the holiday retail season.

About the StrategyOne Holiday Shopping Index:

The annual StrategyOne index is built using two criteria: first, the percentage of consumers polled each week who indicate they still have more gifts to purchase, and second, the level of certainty these consumers have about their intended gift purchases. By factoring together both of these components, the Holiday Shopping Index provides a good aggregate indicator of how open consumers are to gift ideas and suggestions, as well as other marketing interventions, as the season progresses.

Methodology of the StrategyOne Holiday Shopping Index:

The StrategyOne Holiday Shopping Index is calculated based on data obtained from a weekly survey of about 1,000 US consumers. The survey includes questions related to consumers’ expectations and attitudes surrounding holiday shopping.  Once the survey is completed, StrategyOne tabulates the percentage of respondents who indicated that they:

1. Still have “some more” or “a lot more” gifts and presents to purchase;
2. Have spent 50% or less of their total holiday gift budget;
3. Still plan to spend more than $100 on gifts or presents;
4. Are “up in the air” or “mostly open to suggestions” about some or all of their anticipated gift purchases;  
5. Have not done more holiday shopping because they are not sure what to buy, are waiting for better deals, or generally shop later in the season; and
6. Would be “happy” to see more holiday shopping discounts because they still have presents to buy.

The percentage of those who responded affirmatively to these inquiries are added up and divided by the total number of applicable questions. The resulting number is then used as an “index value” and compared against the prior week’s level.

For more information about the Shopping Index, please visit the StrategyOne website; www.strategyone.net/HolidayIndex.html.  

Statistical weights were designed from the United States Census Bureau.  The survey data was collected online.

About StrategyOne:

StrategyOne, a Daniel J. Edelman company, employs custom public opinion research and secondary research methodologies to deliver strategic counsel to corporate, organizational and governmental clients globally.  With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, London, New York, Paris, San Mateo, Washington, D.C., and Abu Dhabi StrategyOne provides global clients with evidence based stakeholder insights, analysis and measurement. Visit www.strategyone.net  for more information.

About Edelman:

Edelman is the world’s largest independent public relations firm, with wholly-owned offices in 53 cities and 3,600 employees worldwide.  Edelman was named Advertising Age’s top-ranked PR firm of the decade and one of its 2010 Best Places to Work; Adweek’s “2009 Agency of the Year”; PRWeek’s “2009 Agency of the Year” and “UK Consultancy of the Year”; and Holmes Report’s “Agency of the Decade,” “2009 Best Large Agency to Work For” and “2009 Asia Pacific Consultancy of the Year.” Edelman owns specialty firms Blue (advertising), StrategyOne (research), RUTH (integrated marketing), DJE Science (medical and science communications), and MATTER (sports, sponsorship, and entertainment).  Visit www.edelman.com for more information.