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Deloitte and Sterling Commerce have today announced the findings of the second-annual meeting of the Cross-Channel Retailing Consortium, the industry’s first cross-channel think tank. Participants identified the need for better metrics to measure cross-channel success, the challenges in overcoming inventory management complexity and the resurgence of call centers as a factor in delivering superior customer service. The meeting - held at Shop.org’s annual summit in September - focused on how retailers can create a compelling cross-channel customer experience with multiple selling, sourcing, distribution and fulfillment channels working together to create a seamless and valuable shopping experience. Deloitte’s Kasey Lobaugh, who heads up the U.S. Retail Multi-Channel practice noted that, “Retailers recognize the potential of a multi-channel brand experience to deepen customer relationships and boost profits.” Read the full article

While in recent months there had been some hope that consumer sentiment was improving, the latest Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers shows that consumers may still lack confidence in the economy. The survey’s preliminary index for October fell to 69.4% from September’s 73.5%, below economist expectations. Read the full article

In a deal stemming from the multimillion-dollar investment from WPP’s Kantar Group revealed earlier this year, its subsidiary Compete will make data available through Omniture’s dashboard by the end of October, Stephen DiMarco, Compete’s chief marketing officer, tells Online Media Daily. Kantar’s $25 million investment in Omniture serves as the foundation to build the dashboard that combines the data from both Omniture and Compete. Read the full article

As the public profile of online behavioral targeting rises, the search for consumer-friendly ways of addressing the technology, privacy and opt-out procedures accelerates as well. Multiple projects seem to be running in parallel. The IAB is working on standardized ad labeling, explanatory language and procedures that content providers and ad networks can deploy. Read the full article

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the U.K. has recently launched two studies into online advertising practices. The studies will reportedly focus on “behavioral advertising and customized pricing, where prices are individually tailored using information collected about a consumer’s Internet use“. An OFT spokesperson said, “These studies will ensure that we keep up to date with the latest developments and, in particular, on how new pricing and advertising practices are emerging and evolving online.” Meanwhile, after a recent report was released showing that the majority of Americans reject tailored advertising, the U.S. Congress will begin to debate behavioral targeting in the near future thanks to a bill being drafted by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA.). Boucher notes, “Our goal is not to hinder online advertising. This will make people more likely to trust electronic commerce and the Internet.“ Read the full article

The world’s top retailer has launched a brash price war against Amazon.com, saying it would sell 10 hotly anticipated new books for just $10 apiece through its online site, Walmart.com. Hours later, Amazon matched the $10 price, squaring off in a battle for low-price and e-commerce leadership heading into the crucial holiday shopping season. Wal-Mart soon fired back with a promise to drop its prices to $9 -- and made good on that vow. Wal-Mart said the splashy move was part of a larger strategy to establish Walmart.com as the biggest and cheapest online retailer. “If there is going to be a ’Wal-Mart of the Web,’ it is going to be Walmart.com,” said Walmart.com CEO Raul Vazquez in an interview. “Our goal is to be the biggest and most visited retail Web site.“ Read the full article

Google shook off the recession and said its Internet advertising business picked up steam during the third quarter, as marketers began spending again. The Internet search company’s revenue increased 7% from the year-earlier quarter to $5.94 billion. That compares with just 3% year-over-year growth in the second quarter. Read the full article

VistaPrint this summer made several small changes to its e-commerce site as part of a brand overhaul. The retailer of printing and marketing services to individual consumers and small businesses adopted a new tagline and redesigned its home page. “This was really more like a site re-branding,” says Jeff Prus, vice president of user experience and content for VistaPrint.com. Read the full article

A systematic approach to web site design is reducing by 50% the amount of time it takes Staples Inc. to roll out a new advanced feature, according to svp of Staples’ Business Delivery Pete Howard. It used to take Staples up to 18 months to design and implement a major upgrade to the home page or a product page, or develop a major feature. But by following a four-step process—define, develop, quantify and quality assurance—Staples is now able to turn around a big design update in nine months or less. Read the full article

Analytics software provider Omniture Inc. announced $87.9 million in revenue for the third quarter of 2009, which ended September 30. The earnings represent an increase of 13% compared to revenue of $77.8 million reported for the same period a year ago. The company recently entered into an agreement to be acquired by Adobe Systems Inc. Read the full article