eCommerce

New York City -- Walmart, Target, The Home Depot, Best Buy and CVS took top honors in Interbrand’s annual ranking of the 50 most valuable U.S. retail brands. The U.S. brands are valued in collaboration with Interbrand Design Forum, the retail experience group within Interbrand.

HANGZHOU, China -- Gap Inc. is expanding its presence in China. The company announced that it has opened an online Gap store (gap.tmall.com) on Taobao Mall, the business-to-consumer platform within Taobao, China’s largest retail website. Gap's Taobao Mall store will offer a wide selection of stylish products from Gap, GapKids and baby gap, the company reported.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores’ Scott Price, CEO for Asia, said Wednesday that the retailer makes $16 billion in annual sales in Japan, China and India.

In a report broadcast on Wal-Mart’s website and covered by Bloomberg, Price said that operations in Japan have $8 billion annual sales from 414 stores with 36,000 workers.

Annual revenue is $7.5 billion in China, generated by 329 stores, and sales in India are less than $1 billion a year, according to Price.

San Francisco -- Gap said Wednesday it has opened an online store on China’s largest retail website.

Gap's Taobao Mall store, gap.tmall.com, will offer items from Gap, GapKids and baby gap.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Target announced that as part of its Earth Month celebration, it is offering customers the chance to win a "Refresh Your Nest" home makeover worth up to $50,000 with the help of LEED accredited designer Sabrina Soto, as well as hundreds of other sustainable prizes. Guests can log on to Target.com/Eco to enter the sweepstakes.

The Target.com/Eco site also features sustainable products for purchase, sustainable decorating tips from Soto and coupons for use at Target stores.

Sacramento, Calif. -- Voit Real Estate Services announced that the Gallelli Retail Team, led by Jason K. Gallelli, has joined the Sacramento office of Voit.

In their previous role with Colliers International, The Gallelli Retail Team represented more than 50 Northern California shopping centers, as well as representing more than 25 national retailers, such as Cinemark Theatres, Best Buy, TJX Companies, Costco, Sprouts Farmers Market, Chipotle, and Panera Bread.
 

New York City -- Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group announced that it has arranged a space for European fashion icon Piero Guidi at 430 West Broadway in New York City.

The 3,600-sq.-ft., double-height space features all-glass frontage, between Prince and Spring Streets.

By Chuck Densinger, [email protected] & Mason Thelen [email protected]

Question: Which computer system can provide retailers with unprecedented insight into how to serve their customers better?

Answer: Watson.