Fast Retailing Co.'s Comptoir des Cotonniers division, a French fashion brand, has launched a new service, "Fast Shopping," which allows European shoppers to purchase items in 20 seconds on their mobile devices via an application from Powa Technologies, London. Using the app, shoppers can scan items they see on ads to make the purchase, and have the goods delivered to their home within 48 hours.

If the U.S. is becoming the Wild West, except with assault weapons, leave 'em at the door. Yessir, even Ted Nugent will have to park his nuclear, semi-automatic Commie-killer in his Abrams tank when he goes for a burger at Sonic or a hot tamale at Chili's. The two became the latest national chains to announce that firearms are no longer welcome in their restaurants.

Before she was Alice, the housekeeper in the "The Brady Bunch" household, Ann B. Davis pitched Ford Fairlane in an ad touting "That Fairlane Feeling." In the spot, which aired in the 60s, she is suggestive and campy about the car and how she'd like to drive it to a lumber camp, or maybe to a Navy aircraft carrier, where men abound. The camera pans out at the end of the commercial to show Davis holding a car salesman like a baby. It closes with the tagline, "You're ahead in a Ford."

Costco is testing home delivery, but believes the appeal of strong bargains at its warehouses will keep consumers shopping in-store, EVP and CFO Richard Galanti told Wall Street investors Thursday. Asked why Costco is able to maintain strong sales despite increasing online competition, Galanti said, "It's merchandising, it's quality and it's quantity relative to price. It's the extreme value."

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. reported a net loss of $23.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, up from $7.2 million in the year-ago period, but less than analysts had expected. Restructuring charges associated with the closure of Abercrombie's Gilly Hicks stand-alone stores, as well as the impact of heavy discounting on profit margins, helped drive the retailer's net loss growth.

Allstate is testing a smartphone application that collects data on driver behavior. The application is being tested in a few states, the Northbrook-based company's CEO said at a conference. Allstate currently has a driver-monitoring program using a device that plugs into a car. In return for safe driving, drivers qualify for insurance discounts.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne said the U.S. operations will be crucial for the success of the company's new business plan. The company is going global with Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. The business plan aims to boost sales by 60% and increase net profit five-fold by 2018. Marchionne said revenue from Chrysler's U.S. operations will fund its strategy in Europe.

Netflix plans a big rollout in Europe with launches in Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The company says it expects non-U.S. markets to generate 80% of revenues. Netflix launched in the U.K. and in Ireland in early 2012, and in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland later that year. The company has some 48 million customers in over 40 countries for its subscription service, with 35.7 million of them in the U.S.