Other popular social-networking sites, such as Twitter and LinkedIn, don't offer a direct-sale platform.

WSJ: Merchants Push Sales Through Social Media

Earlier this month the government suddenly banned direct-sale ventures.

ECONOMIST: China

It is also mulling a sale of Nationpoint , its direct-to-consumer mortgage unit.

FORBES: Just Saying 'No' At Champion

If, for example, the Gap is having a back-to-school sale, it could direct customers to the domain name BackToSchool.

FORBES: What Retail Brands Need To Know About New Top-Level Domains

Also on Wednesday, the e-commerce development group, bizzbuild.com, announced the sale of its subsidiary Value Direct to Home Electrical Direct.

BBC: Barclaycard ditches IndigoSquare

The Scottish Daily Express sells around 60, 000 copies a day - more than either The Herald or The Scotsman but only around half the sale of its direct rival the Scottish Daily Mail.

BBC: More jobs are cut at Scottish newspapers

That's behind an in-house book sale in June that highlights titles such as Six Ways to Get Rich Through Direct Sales, The World's Most Outstanding Salesperson and The Early Files of China's Rich.

FORBES: On The Cover/Top Stories

Best Buy seems to be missing the benefit of its so-called showroom status: the retailer has the initial opportunity to make a direct connection with customers and close the sale before shoppers begin scanning SKUs.

FORBES: The Showroom Showdown: Best Buy vs. Amazon