Nearly two-thirds of holiday shoppers say the economy will affect their buying this year, with the average amount being spent dropping by about $22, according to an industry report released Tuesday.
Australia's raising interest rates! The global recession is over! The only question now is how strong and fast the economic rebound will be. Hip hip hooray!
You can't sell the nation's retailers on the idea that the economy will rebound soon.
Easter spending is expected to decline this year by a double-digit percentage, despite recent positive retail reports and a tradition of springtime shopping, a trade group report said Wednesday.
The retail sector has taken a beating this winter as consumers pulled back on spending, and the 15 million Americans who rely on those jobs have been left out in the cold.
If 2008 was brutal for retailers' sales, 2009 will be just as turbulent, or even worse, according to an industry forecast Tuesday.
Retail sales fell for the sixth straight month in December, the longest consecutive stretch of monthly declines in the measure in at least four decades.
The 2008 holiday sales season is one of the worst for retailers in decades, as consumers' concerns about the economy and job losses crushed the typical year-end shopping exuberance.
Facing a disastrous holiday shopping season, the retail industry on Tuesday urged President-elect Barack Obama to incorporate three national tax-free shopping holidays in 2009.
Stores and online merchants were busier this weekend than they were a year ago, according to figures out Sunday, but signs persist that holiday shopping will suffer in the weakest economic climate in decades.
Nearly two-thirds of holiday shoppers say the economy will affect their buying this year, with the average amount being spent dropping by about $22, according to an industry report released Tuesday.
Australia's raising interest rates! The global recession is over! The only question now is how strong and fast the economic rebound will be. Hip hip hooray!
You can't sell the nation's retailers on the idea that the economy will rebound soon.
Easter spending is expected to decline this year by a double-digit percentage, despite recent positive retail reports and a tradition of springtime shopping, a trade group report said Wednesday.
The retail sector has taken a beating this winter as consumers pulled back on spending, and the 15 million Americans who rely on those jobs have been left out in the cold.
If 2008 was brutal for retailers' sales, 2009 will be just as turbulent, or even worse, according to an industry forecast Tuesday.
Retail sales fell for the sixth straight month in December, the longest consecutive stretch of monthly declines in the measure in at least four decades.
The 2008 holiday sales season is one of the worst for retailers in decades, as consumers' concerns about the economy and job losses crushed the typical year-end shopping exuberance.
Facing a disastrous holiday shopping season, the retail industry on Tuesday urged President-elect Barack Obama to incorporate three national tax-free shopping holidays in 2009.
Stores and online merchants were busier this weekend than they were a year ago, according to figures out Sunday, but signs persist that holiday shopping will suffer in the weakest economic climate in decades.
Merchants know it's all or nothing when the clock strikes 12.01 a.m. Friday.
Black Friday shopping is expected to decline slightly, but pent-up demand and lower gas prices may provide a small silver lining for the suffering retail industry, according to a survey released Tuesday.
With consumer confidence plummeting, the holiday shopping season could be the leanest in years
The nation's retailers could be in for the weakest holiday season in six years as the sluggish economy continues to squeeze household budgets, according to a trade group report issued Tuesday.
Swiping your credit card at the register may save you time, but it certainly won't save you money. Thanks to hidden fees, credit card purchases are costing you more than you may know.
A significant drop in volume of imported retail goods into the United States is providing fresh evidence that a slowing economy has pinched American consumers' ability to shop freely, according to an industry report Wednesday.
Remember, mom, it's the thought that counts.
The government's tax rebate stimulus is weeks away from your mailbox. But retailers worried about a consumer slowdown are already planning several ways for you to spend that windfall in their stores.
Typically shoplifters, fraudsters and scammers pose the biggest threat to merchants' bottom line.
Some critics are convinced that any tax rebate checks from Congress will go straight to China if Americans take the extra money and splurge at the mall.
Unlike housing prices and interest rates, Cupid's costs are expected to go up in 2008.
With 2008 expected to show the weakest growth for retail sales in years, Americans sorely need some incentive to keep shopping.
A new round of economic data released Tuesday show that holiday sales were even worse than many experts had expected - adding to fears that 2008 could be an even more challenging year for retailers.
Retail sales in 2008 will suffer their weakest pace of growth in six years as Americans struggle with rising unemployment, worsening housing and credit market conditions and higher food and energy costs in the months ahead., according to an industry forecast released Monday.
A late surge by shoppers may not have been enough to save the Christmas shopping season.
Malls were open around the clock and stores came through with huge discounts - but it was unclear whether a last-minute shopping frenzy would put retailers over the top.
Some 35 million Americans have yet to start shopping for holiday gifts - meaning that the next seven days could make or break many retailers' Christmas season.
Retailers are still mulling the results from the first weekend of the holiday shopping season. But the outlook is still murky
Although deep discounts brought out much bigger crowds of holiday bargain hunters, a major retail trade group said Sunday that shoppers actually spent less money this year over the crucial Thanksgiving weekend.
If you didn't shop enough over the weekend, or you purposely avoided the mobbed malls, you have another chance to save on holiday gifts when you return to the office on Monday.
Retail sales grew at a sluggish pace in October as many cash-strapped Americans continue to struggle with higher gas prices, less equity in the home and tighter credit availability.
Fraudulent returns are expected to total a hefty $3.7 billion this holiday season, according to new retail industry estimates.
Sales growth during the 2007 holiday season could be the slowest since 2002, according to industry forecasts.
Students may not get too excited for back-to-school, but in many states there's cause for parents to smile, as it's the start of a tax holiday season.
After Wal-Mart announced this week that it would slash prices on thousands of back-to-school products, industry analysts said they expect a price war to erupt.
Consumer electronics - such as computers, iPods and cellphones - are expected to charge up this year's back-to-school sales to an estimated $18.4 billion, according to an industry report released Tuesday.
As more American consumers forego crowded malls for the convenience of online shopping, total Internet-related sales are forecast to jump 19.1 percent to $174.5 billion in 2007, excluding travel, according to a new industry report Monday.
Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and big chains that cater to low-income consumers could take a direct hit from the turmoil in the mortgage market, industry experts warned.
Almost 70 percent of filers expect to receive a tax refund this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Of that group, one-third plan to use their tax refunds to pay off debts. More than one-third will put their tax refunds into savings.
Subdued economic growth could moderate the pace of consumer spending and retail sales gains in the first half of 2007, according to the National Retail Federation's annual industry forecast released Tuesday.
Despite the cutthroat price wars on electronics, toys and clothing, the National Retail Federation said Friday that total sales for the November-December holiday sales season grew only "modestly," coming in below its forecasts.
Sales this final weekend before Christmas will be critical for retailers as the 2006 holiday shopping season heads to a nail-biting finish.
With Christmas just four days away, the 2006 holiday shopping season is shaping up for a nail-biting finish after the latest industry survey released Monday showed millions of shoppers still haven't even started buying their gifts.
With Christmas exactly a week away, the 2006 holiday shopping season is shaping up for a nail-biting finish after the latest industry survey released Monday showed millions of shoppers still haven't even started buying their gifts.
Most people think the holiday shopping season is about the big crowds and big bargains. But there's one more seasonal hallmark that doesn't always get its fair share of publicity - big holiday crimes.
The holiday shopping season is off to a running start, according to surveys released this weekend, though it was still unclear how that will impact retailers' profits.
Online retailer Amazon.com has taken the top spot for customer service in a nationwide survey released Thursday.
The recent drop in gas prices has given a needed boost to shoppers ahead of the holidays but retail experts aren't convinced that will translate into big sales gains for store chains.
As gasoline prices continue to flirt with new record highs, they're also having a chilling effect on consumers' ability and inclination to shop for the latest fads like a pair of Gap's blue-black skinny jeans.
Back-to-school spending will see a big leap this year, with the biggest growth in electronics and apparel purchases, according to a new study.
As higher gas prices eat into consumers' shopping budgets, more Americans say they could be forced to cope with the pain at the pump by cutting back on eating out, driving less often and holding off on purchases on big-ticket items like cars and TVs, according to a new industry survey Thursday.
More than two-thirds of consumers expect to receive a tax refund this year and they are eager to put those dollars to work, according to the National Retail Federation.
From candy and cards to roses and reservations, consumers will be opening their wallets to express what's in their hearts this February 14.
Few would argue that retailers got a lucky break over the past holidays. Despite a very challenging year for consumers, shoppers were able to put money worries aside and dug deep in the spirit of year-end gift-giving.
Higher energy costs and a slowing housing market are the two key factors that will pressure consumers to retrench spending in 2006, causing a slowdown in overall retail sales growth, according to the National Retail Federation's annual industry forecast released Monday.
Why are some retailers like Coach, American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie and the Gap trotting out their spring merchandise in the dead of winter?
This year's shopping season started with a bang, then quickly fizzled into a slow and boring drag before staging an impressive pick-up just shy of the finish line.
Some early positive results on how the critical holiday shopping season fared could be the catalyst Tuesday to a post-Christmas rally as Wall Street looks set to close 2005 with modest gains.
Cyber Monday, the online retail world's version of Black Friday, got off to a busy start as many holiday shoppers logged on at work and trolled the Internet in an effort to bag a few more bargains.
Black Friday, that orgy of commerce the day after Thanksgiving, has traditionally marked the start of the holiday shopping campaign. But this year some resourceful spies have gotten a jump on Ameri...
Shoppers braved long lines and chilly temperatures to hunt down the juiciest deals Friday, with a retail group forecasting higher sales for the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season.
The National Retail Federation on Tuesday upped its holiday sales forecast to a 6 percent increase from an earlier 5 percent, saying that a fall in gas prices had given retailers more reason to be optimistic for a better season overall.
As Black Friday goes, so goes the entire holiday shopping season, right?
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - For Christmas this year, throw your husband from a plane.
An increase in charitable giving will push holiday spending higher this season, even though gift-giving is expected to be on the decline, according to a survey published Tuesday.
It's been a tough couple of weeks for consumers paying more at the gas pump and getting set for big increases in winter heating bills.
Gas prices, tougher year-over-year sales comparisons and eroding consumer confidence are some of the factors that together could dim the lights for merchants during the upcoming holiday shopping period, according to an industry forecast issued Wednesday.
Consumers are pinched. Retailers are squeezed. Who'll get bruised first by higher fuel prices as the countdown to the holiday shopping season gets underway?
Denim fashions may be all the rage this fall, but Erica Green cares more about dressing up her dorm room than dressing up herself. Green, an incoming junior at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, plans to spend more than $500 on furnishings, from bright blue butterfly chairs and rugs to a TV-DVD combo unit.
Retailers banking on a back-to-school bonanza this year, beware. The National Retail Federation said Tuesday that it expects a disappointing 8.2 percent drop this year in the average amount of money families will spend on school-related merchandise.
More than two-thirds of consumers expect to receive a tax refund this year and they are ready to spend it, according to the National Retail Federation.
Easter comes early this year, and consumers still feeling the winter blues are likely to spend less money on spring clothes during the Easter holiday, according to a consumer survey.
Valentine's Day could be more "bitter" than "sweet" for retailers this year, with consumers expected to spend a little less than they did in 2004 on candy, flowers, jewelry and eating out.
When was the last time you walked into a store in a good mood, eager to spend money on some CDs and books, but instead walked out emptyhanded, carrying nothing but a frown on your face and a few choice words in your head?
Despite a wobbly start, shoppers pulled through in the end for retailers to deliver the strongest holiday season in five years, according to the National Retail Federation.
U.S. stocks on Monday looked set to carry on the momentum from last week's rally on Wall Street, although markets overseas were roiled by the earthquake that devastated parts of Asia over the weekend.
Did holiday procrastinators come through in time to give retailers a much-needed last-minute sales boost?
With just one weekend left before Christmas, this is make-or-break time for the nation's retailers.
The nation's shoppers were out in force this weekend, with double-digit percentage increases seen at both brick-and-mortar stores and online, and an estimated total of $22.8 billion in sales, reports indicated Sunday.
The first frenzied wave of early bargain hunters pushed and shoved their way into stores across the nation Black Friday, but industry watchers said it remains to be seen if the buying momentum holds going into the weekend.
Many holiday shoppers view their task as a dreaded chore, not as the enjoyable part of the season that it could be with some good planning and the help of CNN.com's holiday shopping guide.
Winter shopping could become a bargain hunter's delight if stores do what industry experts expect them to do: more price-cutting during the holidays than usual.
It hasn't exactly been a summer of fun for retailers this year -- but at least merchants can look forward to a little holiday cheer, an industry group said Wednesday.
What's in store for retailers this fall? Second-quarter sales were ahead of expectations, and most retailers are predicting modest growth in the third quarter. Despite high oil prices and rising in...
While most kids probably aren't counting down the days to that first school bell, the nation's retailers can't wait to hear it soon enough.
Back-to-school retail spending is expected to grow by 7.2 percent to $14.8 billion this year, a retail industry group said Tuesday.
A retail industry group raised its sales forecast for all of 2004 Tuesday, although it appeared to temper its enthusiasm for the second half, which includes the crucial back-to-school and holiday shopping periods.
Americans are feeling more patriotic than ever and loading up on flags, clothes and decorations ahead of the July 4th holiday, according to a new survey.
Honoring thy father doesn't mean breaking the bank.
Nearly a third of Americans are cutting back on vacation and travel and 27 percent are cutting back on eating out because of record high gas prices, a retail industry survey said Tuesday.
Consumers are in a mood to spend a little more on candy and clothes this Easter, an industry report said Tuesday.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The majority of U.S. taxpayers are early birds when it comes to filing, according to a survey published this week by the National Retail Federation and BIGresearch. And a great number of those who get refunds plan to be prudent with the cash.
Sunday's Super Bowl XXXVIII is expected to be a sales bonanza for retailers of consumer electronics and sports apparel, with an estimated 1.5 million TV sets sold for football's big day, according to an industry survey Monday.
Holiday retail sales growth more than doubled last year as last-minute shoppers piled into stores near Christmas but the gains fell short of an industry-wide forecast.
Retail sales are expected to grow by 5 percent in 2004, up from 4.3 percent last year, as an increase in hiring and low inflation lift the economy, the National Retail Federation said Monday.
Holiday sales should total more than $200 billion this year, according to National Retail Federation forecasts--accounting for about 23 percent of the nation's annual retail take. But how do mercha...
$940 Average amount that American households plan to spend on gifts, decorations, greeting cards and food this holiday season, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation
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