Cuker is back after attending the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas! The world’s largest annual innovation event unveiled 20,000 new products and drew in over 150,000 attendees this year, making it the largest CES show to date.

Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs kicked off the event with the keynote “Born Mobile,” which was full of surprises, including a live performance from Maroon 5! The excitement continued as the biggest innovators in the technology industry revealed their cutting-edge products.

We were proud to support our clients, Sony and Technicolor, who participated in the show. Sony had an expansive line-up of new products and technologies that offered something for everyone, and Technicolor was awarded the Videomaker Spotlight Award for their color correction software CineStyle Color Assist.

We had a great time and hope to see you at CES 2014!

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There’s no question that eCommerce is hot these days – so hot that sales in the U.S. are expected to reach a staggering $224 billion in 2012. So what’s the catch? As eCommerce grows, online shoppers are beginning to demand more from their favorite online retailers. Shoppers want helpful and knowledgeable customer service representatives across all sales channels, especially online. They also expect to be able to look up product availability online before going to local brick-and-mortar stores, and want the option to purchase online for pickup and returns at retail stores.

Some ways to stand out in the crowded online marketplace – provide a close, real-time integration between online and in-store inventory, enhance the overall user experience through interactivity, and leverage mobile marketing...shoppers are now using mobile apps in-store for price comparisons, QR code scanning for product information, and coupons, with 79% of U.S. smartphone users either using or interested in using location-based coupons.

With the right blend of eCommerce, mobile, and in-store sales support, retailers can look forward to an increasingly bright future online.

The vertical once thought to be the Achilles heel of eCommerce is one of the fastest growing segments online, as the apparel market looks primed to see record-setting growth in 2012. eMarketer expects US retail eCommerce sales to reach $224.2 billion this year, up 15% from 2011 - and the apparel and accessories category will lead the charge, with sales gains of 20% predicted for this year.

Why is apparel so hot? One of the factors for the rise is that brands are investing more in robust eCommerce platforms with interactive merchandising elements that give shoppers more confidence in how their purchases will look and fit. “Online merchandising and visualization have come a long way,” said eMarketer principal analyst Jeffrey Grau. “Retailers continue to increase the scale of their ecommerce operations, particularly by investing in online sales platforms that display products and convert shoppers more effectively; apparel sales have benefitted more than any other category."

The future is looking pretty good too - apparel and accessories will tally $73 billion worth of online purchases by 2016, accounting for over 20% of all retail eCommerce sales in the U.S.

At Cuker, we're always looking for ways to use technology and the Web to empower and inspire - especially in underprivileged or under-served communities. Inspired by a powerful 60 Minutes special, we recently donated iPads to a great organization called The Help Group in Los Angeles that serves children with special needs.

Ren Lathrum from the Help Center summed up the value of such partnerships: "Some of our kids have low motor skills, and not having the ability to communicate your needs can lead to a lot of frustration and anxiety. Having assistive technology like PECS are limited to the people who have been trained in that communication system.  The iPads will give our students the ability to communicate with everyone they meet and lower their frustration and anxiety.  It's amazing what this tool has done for our classroom.  We can't thank Cuker enough!"

Learn more about how you can support the important work of The Help Group here.

The stellar 2011 holiday season highlighted another record-setting trend - the staggering growth rate of mobile commerce. The IBM Benchmark December holiday report showed that sales from mobile devices doubled, reaching 11 percent versus 5.5 percent in December 2010.

Unfortunately, this impressive growth belies missed opportunities for e-tailers - industry analyst eMarketer reported that out of the nearly 56 million mobile users who shopped online in the U.S. in 2011, only about 27 million actually completed a purchase via a mobile device. The biggest reasons cited by consumers for the lack of mobile love? Clunky interfaces, tiny keyboards, and tedious checkouts.

The takeaway for online retailers who are wondering about investing in mobile optimization? Those who leverage mobile technology to offer a frictionless checkout and a truly satisfying mobile experience will be positioned to rack up big revenues in the next few years - and those who don't may miss out on what looks to be a very profitable 2012.

Over the last few weeks we've been working with PacSun to create an iPad app for them to debut at this year's US Open of surfing in Huntington Beach, California. The app allows the user to easily navigate to either watch PacSun related videos or to listen and download a free summer mix of jams from bands like: Young The Giant, Strange Talk, Little Hurricane and more...

Check out this set of photos on our flickr page before we packed up the iPads and sent them to the beach. You can also stop by the PacSun booth at the US Open of surfing going on in Huntington Beach until August 7th, to try out the app for yourself!

We’ve recently partnered with Quiksilver, Roxy, and DC Shoes to implement an exciting new feature that will transform the way you shop – The Denim Finder.

The Denim Finder helps you discover the perfect pair of jeans year round. By simply choosing your “FIT” and “WASH”, you are directed to your best matches. Also, be sure to check out the Lookbook and Videos section for fashion inspiration from team riders!

Interested in finding your perfect match this summer? Simply, CLICK HERE

Despite taking another medical leave of absence earlier this year, Apple CEO Steve Jobs surprised the crowd at a company event in San Francisco by taking the stage to unveil the iPad 2. Jobs, receiving a standing ovation, told the crowd that "we've been working on this product for awhile and I didn't want to miss today."

Proving that a Jobs appearance can be just as newsworthy as a Loch Ness monster sighting, Apple shares proceeded to climb as much as $4.63 to $353.94 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.