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.

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.

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Walmart announced that its Vudu entertainment service is now available Xbox 360. Xbox LIVE customers can now shop Vudu’s library using new, interactive features such as voice search, voice control and Kinect gesture commands to rent or own the latest Hollywood hits, TV shows, cinema classics and independent gems in standard or high definition, the company said.

As an incentive to get customers to try Vudu on Xbox, Walmart announced that Vudu is offering a $4.99 credit toward their first rental or purchase. 

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.

Pittsburgh -- American Eagle Outfitters announced Wednesday that it has opened stores in three new international markets — Morocco, Jordan and Egypt.

The company said it also opened its third store in Saudi Arabia, and has plans for a second store in Lebanon in early 2012. The retailer currently operates in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE through its franchise partner, M.H. Alshaya.

Chicago -- A report released Wednesday by ShopperTrak found that holiday shoppers boosted sales 21.7% over the previous week and 1.3% over the same week last year.

According to ShopperTrak, sales increases during the week ending Dec. 17 made this December on pace to have higher retail sales than last year. Month-to-date figures are up 0.5% over December 2010.

Union, N.J. — Undaunted by a still difficult housing market, Bed Bath & Beyond blew away analysts’ third quarter earnings estimates and reported a 4.1% same-store sales increase for the period ended Nov. 26.