eCommerce

MINNEAPOLIS -- Best Buy announced that it is helping consumers get ready for the Super Bowl by offering deals on Samsung products in stores and online through Feb. 5. 

Best Buy's deals include:

On Feb. 1, Target will begin selling an exclusive edition of Ricky Martin's new album, "Musica Alma Sexo." According to Target's website, this edition has seven exclusive tracks, including two dance mixes, three unreleased songs and solo versions of the hit singles "Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu" and "The Best Thing About Me is You." 

This is Martin's first new studio album in six years, and some big names including Natalia Jimenez, Joss Stone, Wisin y Yandel, and Claudia Leitte joined him on the album. 

New York City -- Robert K. Futterman & Associates said Monday that it has secured a long-term lease for Gap 1969 at 513 Broadway, between Spring and Broome Streets in SoHo, for the brand’s first permanent location in New York City for the concept store.  

Gap 1969 is currently operating in a temporary space at 524 Broadway.  Scheduled to open in early spring 2011, the new apparel store will occupy 2,800 sq. ft. of ground-floor selling space, and 3,000 sq. ft. in the basement and 3,000 sq. ft. in the sub-basement.    

A lack of disclosure among retailers regarding their online operations makes it challenging to understand what went on online this past holiday season. While comScore reported it was a record year from a sales perspective with November and December sales advancing 12% to $32.6 billion, data from the online measurement firm also showed that most major retailers saw fewer unique visitors to their websites in December 2010 than during the same month the prior year.

Target took the 21st spot out of a list of 46 retailers ranked for their customer service. Zappos.com took the top spot followed by Amazon.com and LL Bean. Walmart was ranked 27.

Other retailers in the top ten include Overstock.com (4), JCPenney (6) and Kohl's (7).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Looking to foray into online sales, Meijer is launching a new grocery service for its customers.

MeijerDoorstepGrocer.com will offer customers thousands of grocery and drug store items, many of them available in single-pack or smaller sizes. Meijer initially will offer about 5,000 items on its website. With no minimum order requirement for delivery, the company said, but for a limited time, customers have the opportunity to save on orders that exceed $100. Shipping costs start at $7.95.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced that retail veteran Chris Capuano will join the company as SVP and president home fashions. She will be responsible for the oversight, leadership and growth of the in-store and online merchandising of home fashions in both the Sears and Kmart formats.

Interesting data points emerged this week that offer potential insight into Walmart’s holiday sales, as Kantar Retail and comScore released reports showing that when compared with the prior year Walmart was less of a destination for gifts and its Web traffic had declined.