Amazon Launches Experimental Mobile Shopping Feature
Amazon.com has launched on the Apple App Store an iPhone application that makes it possible to take a picture of a product and then send it to the online retailer, which will try to match it with products in its inventory.
Amazon said its new mobile application was made available on the App Store on Wednesday. The software is meant to simplify shopping on the iPhone and the iPod Touch, which can access the Web through a Wi-Fi hot spot. The application offers access to other retailers, such as Target and Macy’s, but its features, which include “one-click” shopping, are focused on Amazon.
Apple Sees 300 Million App Store Downloads
Apple announced Friday it has had over 300 million downloads from its App Store, a whopping total considering the store opened only five months ago.
The news came in the form of large print ads in the The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The company said it also had more than 10,000 apps in the store. The company did not provide numbers on the percentage of free apps versus paid programs.
EU to expand e-shoppers’ rights
The European Commission has unveiled proposals to give more rights to consumers shopping online across the borders of the 27-nation EU.
The proposals aim to boost online shopping in Europe to allow people to take advantage of cheaper prices during the economic crisis.
The commission is asking EU governments to give consumers a two-week cooling-off period to back out of a sale.
Consumers could also get the right to a refund for delayed deliveries.