Macys.com formally launched its revamped Web site, with a splashy press event at its flagship Herald Square store in New York. The new Macys.com features 250,000 items for sale in what executives called the first major Web retailing effort from a "nationally known reputable fashion-oriented" department store. Parent Federated Department Stores Inc. spun off the Macy's venture as a separate subsidiary; the new site was developed in partnership with IBM. (Macys.com, San Francisco, http://www.macys.com) - Another big Federated name, Bloomingdale's, launched a more modest holiday store, with 1,500 selected items for sale. The site features a "Wish List" where Bloomies shoppers can post things they'd like to receive this holiday season. (http://www.bloomingdales.com) - Lands' End has added technology that lets shoppers create a model of their bodies and then "try on" virtual clothes. My Virtual Model comes from Public Technologies Multimedia in Montreal. The shopper specifies hair color, height and build and then can select clothing to try on the model. (Lands' End Inc., Dodgeville, Wisconsin, http://www.landsend.com) - "National Online Shopping Week" kicked off Friday and runs through Dec. 4. Backed by sponsors such as MasterCard International and the trade groups Shop.org and the Association for Interactive Media, the event was designed to educate consumers about convenience and security issues. Visitors to a site on the event will be enticed with things such as free shipping and wrapping, discounts and donations to charities. (http://www.OnlineShoppingWeek.com).
- Kmart, the nation's third-largest retailer, has started to sell music CDs and cassettes at http://www.musicfavorites.com. The company also has a gift shopping site, That Perfect Gift, at http://www.thatperfectgift.com. Both sites are available through the store's main Kmart site. (Kmart Corp., Troy, Michigan, http://www.kmart.com) - The Sabre Group overhauled its Travelocity online travel site for the holiday vacation season to speed airline bookings and offer more hotel information. Air reservations now can be made in three clicks, compared with 12, and the hotel database is adding pictures, maps and reviews. (The Sabre Group Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, http://www.travelocity.com) - The Internet arm of TV-shopping channel QVC Inc. said the IQVC Holiday Gift Boutique, the holiday gift area of its Web site, helped the site hit a new record - US$343,000 on Sunday, Nov. 15. IQVC surpassed last November's orders in the first two weeks of this November. (IQVC, West Chester, Pennsylvania, http://www.iqvc.com) - Buycomp.com, known for selling computer goods, has changed its name to Buy.com and added online stores for books, videos and games. (Buy.com, Aliso Viejo, California, http://www.buy.com)