Retail Roundup: Sears Launches 'M-Commerce' Site, Online Shoppers Delay Spending, and More

Sears makes it easier for consumers to shop with their cellphones -- Sears Holdings recently launched a new mobile e-commerce Web site structured specifically for shoppers wanting to buy merchandise on their cellphones or Blackberrys this holiday season. "It's a great step for us on the mobile front; we will measure it on a daily basis," says Ravi Acharya, Sears' director of e-commerce. Sears follows in the footsteps of Amazon.com, which rolled out an "m-commerce" site this spring. Through Amazon's TextBuyIt service, consumers can text keywords or product codes to a phone number to make a purchase. [Source: Heard on the Runway]

Online shoppers delay spending, prefer cash -- Although about half of online shoppers plan to delay holiday shopping this year because of the economy, nearly one-third of those consumers say they would buy more online if they could pay with cash, according to a new survey by Javelin Strategy and Research for eBillme. "[Shoppers] are shifting away from credit to cash-like payment options, partly because of their financial health, partly because financial institutions are tightening lending," says Marwan Forzely, CEO of ModaSolutions. [Source: internetretailer]

Economy won't affect pets' gift haul -- Shoppers may be spending less on gifts for their friends and family this holiday season, but they don't intend to curb spending on presents for their pets. While 84 percent of those who plan to cut back on gifts will spend less on themselves, only 23 percent will purchase fewer pet presents. "Most average folks aren't spending an arm and a leg on their pet," Tod Marks of Consumer Reports says of why Fido's Christmas won't be any lighter this year. [Source: The Seattle Times]

Roughly 38,000 retail jobs cut in October -- About 38,100 retail-industry jobs were cut in the U.S. in October as store owners either closed their doors or decreased the size of their staff. The loss marks the 11th consecutive month of retail-job reductions; October's retail-job losses were above the industry's monthly average of 30,000 reductions so far this year. [Source: BusinessWeek]