comScore Networks has released its estimates of consumer online non-travel (retail) spending at U.S. sites for the 2006 holiday season through Tuesday, December 26. According to comScore, "during the first 56 days of the holiday season, total online retail spending reached $23.11 billion, marking a 26-percent increase versus the corresponding days in 2005. Sales during the week prior to Christmas (December 18 - December 22, 2006) rose 38 percent versus the corresponding week in 2005. Importantly, year-to-date non-travel e-commerce spending surpassed the $100 billion mark for the first time ever on Saturday, December 23, 2006."   » Continue Reading

Over the last few days, the blogosphere has been chatting about PayPal's Virtual Debit Card offering - as PayPal reports that its current beta test of the new service has been opened up to more users. First offered to beta users last June, the Virtual Debit Card allows PayPal members who are Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer users to make purchases at non-PayPal accepting merchants through the use of a MasterCard number generated automatically by PayPal on the user's behalf. The PayPal Virtual Debit Card cannot be linked to a non-PayPal-issued credit card. Instead, there must be funds in the user's PayPal account or the user has to have provided PayPal with bank account information or signed up for either PayPal Buyer Credit or the PayPal Plus Credit Card. More details on PayPal's FAQ page for beta users and in this BetaNews story on VDC.

Eastman Kodak has announced a new check processing solution and strategic relationship with CFC Technology Corporation that is "designed to help organizations of all sizes take advantage of Check 21 benefits, allowing for businesses to remotely scan their incoming checks, which is a far more cost effective way to handle business deposits."   » Continue Reading

Becky Yerak reports for the Chicago Tribune on Pay By Touch, saying that the company "continues to attract financing and beef up its management ranks, recently adding a former Home Depot Inc. and Sears, Roebuck and Co. executive to its payroll." Yerak interviewed Pay By Touch President John Morris who said "this is one of the rare times where you can deliver identity theft prevention for the shopper, better security in terms of fraud for the retailer and increased convenience."

The Wall St. Journal reports that J.C. Penney has "abruptly terminated" Catherine West, its chief operating officer, after being appointed to that position on June 5, 2006. Prior to joining Penney, West was the president of Capital One's US credit card business. Earlier, she had worked in the credit card businesses of First USA Bank and Chevy Chase Bank.