News

Online measurement firm comScore is out with its top 50 web properties report and Walmart.com must be doing something right judging from a surge in traffic.

Walmart.com was ranked 24th on the top 50 list for May with 42.4 million unique visitors, a 9% increase from the prior month when comScore showed Walmart.com had 38.8 million unique visitors in April. The gain in web traffic over the same month the prior year is even more substantial as Walmart.com registered a 26.2% increase from a May 2011 unique visitor total of 33.6 million.

New York -- Large emerging markets with an active online user base and solid infrastructure offer retailers the greatest e-commerce potential in the near-term, according to a new study by A.T. Kearney’s Global Consumer Institute. The study ranks the 10 countries with the greatest potential for e-commerce growth, and China tops the list, followed by Brazil (#2), Russia (#3), Chile (#4) and Mexico (#5).

BELLEVUE, Wash. and GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General is offering customers a broader variety of prepaid mobile services through a new agreement with T-Mobile. Beginning in July, more than 6,400 Dollar General stores will offer numerous T-Mobile prepaid plan options and the Samsung t139 phone, which features messaging, web browsing, a camera and Bluetooth connectivity.

Dallas -- 7-Eleven announced that it has completed a transaction to acquire 18 Open Pantry convenience store locations in Wisconsin, primarily in the greater Milwaukee and Madison markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has donated $15,000 in monetary support and product to assist with Duluth flood relief efforts. A $10,000 cash donation was given to the American Red Cross Northland Chapter to support their response efforts. An additional $5,000 in gift cards will be donated to local nonprofit organizations for essentials such as water and food.

SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Children's Place Retail Stores is expanding its presence in the Middle East with franchise agreements to open stores in the Arab Gulf States of United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman as well as Saudi Arabia. The first stores are scheduled to open in the UAE in September 2012 in Dubai and Sharjah. The first two stores in Saudi Arabia are scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2012.

By Jeff Weidauer, [email protected]

Showrooming is the latest in what appears to be a never-ending series of paradigm shifts for retailers. This is the relatively new activity where shoppers visit a brick-and-mortar store, look at a product, and buy it online. Best Buy is possibly the hardest-hit; it’s been slapped with the unfortunate moniker “Amazon Showroom,” which describes just how widespread this phenomenon has become.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — GameStop has launched its GameStock 2012 campaign, which will offer customers six weeks of deals, instant win prizes and VIP grand prizes.

With any purchase or trade throughout the duration of GameStock, customers will receive a game piece containing a unique code. By entering that code at www.GameStop.com/GameStock, customers get the chance to win weekly grand prizes including:

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