eCommerce

New York City – E-commerce sales in the U.S. for the November and December holiday shopping season will rise 16.8% to $46.7 billion in 2011, up from $39.9 billion last year and representing a pace five times faster than total retail industry growth, according to eMarketer.

That means online sales growth will reach double digits for the third consecutive year, even though the economy remains shaky and consumers are keeping tight budgets.

WASHINGTON — Up to 152 million people plan to shop Black Friday Weekend, compared with the 138 million who planned to do so last year, according to a preliminary Black Friday shopping survey, conducted for the National Retail Federation by BIGresearch. According to the survey, 74 million people say they will definitely hit the stores and another 77 million are waiting to see if the bargains are worth the hassle of Black Friday.

Chesapeake, Va. -- Dollar Tree reported Thursday that profit for the third quarter rose 12.1% to $104.5 million, from $93.2 million a year earlier.

Revenue rose 11.9% to $1.6 billion, surpassing Wall Street’s expected $1.58 billion. Performance has been consistent with the strength of the category, as the discounter has recorded double-digit year-over-year percentage revenue increases over the past five quarters.

Same-store sales rose 4.8% in the third quarter.

New York City -- Saks Fifth Avenue announced the availability of its shopping application for the iPad. The free app, available worldwide from the Apple App Store, is an entirely shoppable app, and customers can create wishlists that can be shared through email, Facebook, and/or Twitter.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax has announced that it has entered into an agreement with RadioShack whereby RadioShack employees will offer mobile products and services, including prepaid and postpaid wireless products, accessories and service plans, as well as assist in selling OfficeMax consumer electronics products and services, in approximately 15 to 20 OfficeMax stores in the San Francisco market. The pilot program will begin in January 2012. 

New York City -- Off-price retailer Daffy's on Wednesday is opening a nineteenth location, in New York City’s Times Square.

The new 17,000-sq.-ft. store, located at 218 West 44th Street in the former New York Times building.

New York City -- Holiday sales growth will lag behind last year’s robust gains as consumers hold back in an uncertain economy. The roughly 3% growth will be driven by high prices due to inflation, rather than any increase in demand, according to a new report by Moody's Investors Service.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp.’s profit increased a better-than-expected 3.7% in the third quarter to $555 million, up from $535 a year earlier. The retailer’s performance was helped by solid spending and improvement in its credit card business.

Revenue rose 5.4% to $16.05 billion. Same-store sales were up 4.3% in the quarter.