eCommerce

Walmart.com still has a lot of ground to make up on Amazon.com, but July was a step in the right direction as the company added more unique visitors and grew at a faster pace than Amazon.com.

The number of unique visitors to Walmart.com increased 16.8% I to 45.2 million and placed the company 23 on a top 50 Web properties report compiled monthly by the online measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. During July of 2011, Walmart.com ranked 25^{th with 38.7 million unique visitors.}

The nation’s leading closeout retailer offered a bleak outlook for the remainder of the year following worse than expected second quarter results and announced the departure of its top merchant.

Wounded retailers have a tendency to take irrational actions which means Walmart could have its hands full this holiday season as Best Buy is looking desperate and has a new CEO at the helm.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Pacific Sunwear of California reported that net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 ended July 28, were $210.3 million versus net sales of $200.9 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 ended July 30, 2011.

On a GAAP basis, the xompany reported a loss from continuing operations of $17.5 million, or 26 cents per share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2012, compared with a loss from continuing operations of $17.5 million, or 26 cents per share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2011.

SAN FRANCISCO — Williams-Sonoma is betting it can replicate its highly successful formula internationally, with the opening of new stores in Sydney, Australia.

NEW YORK — Aeropostale, a mall-based specialty retailer of casual and active apparel for young women and men, announced that Emilia Fabricant will be joining the company as EVP of the Aeropostale brand. Fabricant will be responsible for all aspects of design, merchandising and production for the brand, and will report to Thomas Johnson, CEO.

NEW YORK — Uniqlo has introduced a new tennis line modeled after the performance apparel worn by top-ranked male professional tennis playe, Novak Djokovic. The line will launch in the United States on Aug. 27 and in other markets around the world at a later date, details of which will be announced in due course.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Mattel's highly-anticipated Apptivity line, which the company introduced at the 2012 Toy Fair in February, is now available for the iPad.

At the Toy Fair, representatives for Mattel demonstrated how Apptivity allows kids to take a physical toy, such as a Hot Wheels car and play with it on the screen of an iPad. Other brands now available through the Apptivity line include Fisher-Price, Monster High and WWE.