eCommerce

RICHMOND, Va. — Amazon.com announced that it plans to open two fulfillment centers in Virginia, investing a total of $135 million. The company said it will invest $85 million and create more than 1,000 jobs in Chesterfield County, and invest $50 million in Dinwiddie County, creating more than 350 jobs.

New York — Finish Line Inc.'s third-quarter earnings rose 35% amid rising digital sales and higher demand for running and basketball gear. The chain has reported nine consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth, including a 7.7% jump in the latest period.

For the quarter ended Nov. 26, the company posted a profit of $5.5 million, up from $4.1 million a year earlier. Revenue increased 8.1% to $282 million. Digital sales jumped 61%, following similar increases in the first two quarters of the year.

NEW YORK — Best Buy has informed some customers that it will not be able to fill their online orders, just days before Christmas, according to the Associated Press.

The chain said late Wednesday that "overwhelming” demand for some products from Bestbuy.com has led to a problem redeeming online orders made in November and December, the report said.

RICHMOND, Va. — Amazon.com announced that it plans to open two fulfillment centers in Virginia, investing a total of $135 million. The company said it will invest $85 million and create more than 1,000 jobs in Chesterfield County, and invest $50 million in Dinwiddie County, creating more than 350 jobs.

“We look forward to opening two new Amazon facilities in the Richmond area next year, bringing tens of millions of dollars and hundreds of new jobs to the state,” said Dave Clark, VP Amazon North American Operations.
 

Despite the challenges in its category, Birmingham, Ala.-based book retailer Books-A-Million has embarked on an aggressive growth plan that added 41 new units to its store count in October and November 2011. The expansion, which put the 250-store retailer squarely in the No. 2 bookseller slot after Borders’ liquidation earlier in the year, has been accompanied by a newly honed focus on improving its loss-prevention program system-wide.

Atlanta -- The SpendTrend report released Wednesday by First Data Corp., which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, showed that card spending growth has remained solid through mid December.

PITTSBURGH — With the opening of stores in the new international markets of Morocco, Jordan and Egypt, as well as expansion plans in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, American Eagle Outfitters is establishing quite a presence in the Middle East.

Yonkers, N.Y. -- The Consumer Reports Holiday Poll released Wednesday found that a quarter of adults in the United States had yet to begin their holiday shopping as of Dec. 19, compared with 17% last year.

Of those who haven't started shopping yet, 54% cited lack of enough money as a reason, 41% still believe they have plenty of time, while 29% are in procrastination mode.