They call it “showrooming,” and to hear the nation’s retailers and other experts fret about consumers using smartphones to …
retail sales
Retail Recovery: Solid 4th-Quarter Earnings from Saks, Macy’s
The holiday season might seem like the distant past, but fourth quarter earnings numbers released yesterday prove that top retailers adapted remarkably to lackluster sales that plagued most of last year.
Will Shoppers Save the Economy?
The U.S. consumer is back, but how long can that keep the economy going?
One of the growing bright spots in the economy recently has been Americans’ willingness to hit the mall. In the third quarter alone, higher consumer …
Holiday Shopping: Will Cyber Monday Outshine Black Friday?
Black Friday was no bust. Retail sales turned out to be far stronger than predicted, rising by nearly 7% compared with last year’s day-after-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza. Finishing off the holiday weekend that’s all about consumption—first, in terms of turkey, and later on, shopping—is the e-commerce spectacular, Cyber Monday. …
Why Retailers and Restaurants Love Giving Away Gift Cards
It’s that time of year again. To drum up holiday sales, retailers are once again taking creative license with the term “Black Friday”, and national chains are dishing out bonuses to fuel gift card purchases (think $5 bonus card when you buy a $25 card) that’ll wind up in stockings and awkward Secret Santa office parties. Why is putting …
Amazon Supports a Bill Forcing Online Shoppers to Pay Sales Tax
The days of skirting around having to pay retail sales tax by shopping online may be coming to a close—and Amazon, of all companies, is supporting the effort.
Black Friday Starts on Thursday This Year at Walmart
Leave it to Walmart to one-up the competition. During the winter holiday season, the retail giant has a history of starting price wars over things like books and DVDs, and pushing the envelope with free shipping offers and …
Retail Sales: No Reason to Celebrate
Americans bought less stuff in May, but more than most people thought. That’s left markets perky, but we’re not in the clear yet.
The Commerce Department reported U.S. retail sales fell last month by 0.2%, their first drop in almost a year after ticking up 0.3% in April. The good news is the drop wasn’t as bad as economists predicted, …
