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The whole concept of online commerce hinges on convenience, particularly during the frantic holiday shopping season. Unfortunately, some well-known Web merchants left consumers seriously dissatisfied in the past year.

The holiday season has been strong for retail sales overall, but some chains have still found lumps of coal in their stockings. And as the holiday season winds down, what's bad for retailers may be good for you.

The holiday shopping season officially kicks off on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Actually, make that during Thanksgiving for some retailers. Here's a rundown of some of the items that will shape this holiday week.

There's never a dull moment on Wall Street, especially when new tablets and old banks are in the way. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week ahead: The Kindle Fire, the Nook Tablet, and earnings reports from Sears, Gap, Hot Topic, Lowes Home Depot and Staples.

The upscale retailer of fashionable fitness apparel came through with another monster quarter this morning. Net revenue soared 39% to $212.3 million, backed by strong consumer-direct sales, brisk expansion, and a stunning 20% spike in comparable-store sales. Earnings grew even faster, climbing 76% to $38.4 million.

Building on its ongoing mission to grab a bigger share of the $1.4 trillion global apparel market, Gap will open its first stores in Vietnam and Guam through its franchise channel in the next few months.

If you're still looking for last-minute back-to-school clothing deals, Cheapism.com has done your homework for you. The review website perused hundreds of items at the nation's biggest retailers to find the best made -- and best priced -- kids' clothes.

Athleta, a women's sportswear merchant that the Gap bought in 2008, opened its first two East Coast stores in New York this week. At a time when 200 Gap stores are closing, Athleta is sprinting toward its goal of 50 stores by 2013. But can it beat out its fast-growing competitors?

As part of a larger push to bring its classic American design aesthetic to international markets -- and build on its recent Italian successes -- Gap will debut a flagship store in Rome on Via del Corso, a key shopping area, on Saturday.

Online retailing is big business, and growing. As virtual storefronts become major revenue generators, many retailers are realizing the value of free shipping, which has the potential to greatly increase sales. Consider these seven promotional strategies, good for consumers and investors.