In a repeat of a trend from last year, many retailers have rolled out special last-minute shipping deals for procrastinating consumers who finally want to get their shopping done—only without going to the store, and without paying for shipping.
SAks
No Sale? Retailers Try to Avoid Deep Discounting Without Losing Shoppers
At some point in recent years, 50% off became the new normal, with shoppers growing increasingly accustomed to dramatic markdowns—and correspondingly unimpressed with a measly 10% off. Stores jacked up list prices so that the …
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.
Top 10 Shopping Trends for the 2011 Holiday Season
Here’s a look back at the frantic holiday shopping season that’s just passed—and that, among other things, reached a high point for self-gifting, shoplifting, free shipping, and procrastination. Without further adieu, this …
How Retail Spending Heated Up In June
Consumer sentiment may have dropped to a seven-month low in June. But wallets are sending a different message.
Signs of Our Economic Times: Nasty Ads, Overqualified Census Workers, Married Men Who Cheat, and More
The recession and its long-lingering effects may be at least partly responsible for why your child is enrolled in public school, your lawyer is depressed, and your husband is cheating on you.
How Luxury Stores Like to Mess with their Customers
Saks, Neiman Marcus, and other luxury retailers manipulate demand by limiting supply—thereby creating a situation that allows them to keep prices high.
Gift Card Promotions: Gimmicks or Good Values?
To pull in customers during a tough economic climate, retailers are rolling out gift card promotions galore. On the surface, the deals seem like, well, deals.
One-Cent Sales: Now Penny-Pinchers Have Places to Spend Those Pennies
See a penny, pick it up. All day long, you’ll be lucky enough to buy something with it at Staples. Or CVS or OfficeMax. These are among the stores hosting attention-grabbing penny sales—just 1¢ for things like highlighters, paper folders, batteries, spiral notebooks, and crayons—in the hopes of stirring up business in what is …
