The holidays aren't even over yet and shoppers are racking up returns already.
Even though shoppers showed up in droves and spent a record amount of money over Black Friday weekend, it's still too early to tell whether that holiday sales momentum will continue through Christmas.
Earlier than ever store openings and steep discounts helped retailers notch record sales this Black Friday weekend, according to early reports.
Larger -- and younger -- crowds jammed the nation's malls and big box stores on Black Friday, as a new generation got in on one of the biggest sales days of the year.
Gift cards continue to be the most popular holiday gift, despite the fact that many recipients turn around and trade them in for cash.
Despite backlash against early Thanksgiving Day store openings, Black Friday bargains are still expected to attract hordes of shoppers this year.
It may not be in line with the spirit of Christmas, but consumers say they plan to spend less on gifts for others and more on themselves while doing their holiday shopping this year.
The holiday season is barely underway, and retailers are already expressing a ho-hum attitude towards hiring.
That latest sign of an economic recovery: shoplifting is back.
Using your refund to pay down debt is so 2007, according to a recent report.
It could have something to do with the heat, but residents of Phoenix, Ariz., shelled out more dough in the days leading up to Valentine's Day than any other city nationwide.
Retail sales in the 2010 holiday season showed the biggest percentage gain in six years, an industry group said Friday, while a separate government report showed a December sales increase on strength in e-commerce.
The blizzard that walloped the U.S. East Coast over the holiday weekend struck retailers at a pivotal time, burying their crucial post-Christmas sales under a heavy blanket of snow.
Online shoppers turned out in force on Cyber Monday -- the day after a strong holiday shopping weekend -- with a retail group predicting a 10% increase over last year.
If last year was the holiday to buy your wife a practical gift like a crock pot or a blender, then this is the year to buy her jewelry.
Online sellers kick off the coming week with one of their biggest sales days of the year - Cyber Monday.
Black Friday bargains are expected to attract 138 million shoppers to stores this year, up 3% from last year, an industry report said Thursday.
As the holidays approach, consumers are getting back in the buying mood, but only if the price is right.
Back-to-school spending is set to jump by 10.5% this year, according to a new study, as Americans loosen their purse strings following a cash-strapped 2009.
It looks like Easter will put a little spring in shopper's steps, according to a survey released Tuesday.
You can complain that Valentine's Day is just a commercial holiday, but you won't hear any griping from retailers. A typical panicked shopper searching for the perfect gift on February 13 is expected to spend on average $103, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). And that's in a shaky economy.
The nation's merchants scored a surprising increase in their crucial year-end holiday sales, countering expectations of a decline, according to an industry report issued Thursday.
Holiday shoppers are procrastinating this season more than they have in the past five years, and are looking for discounts as Christmas nears, according to a retail group's survey released Wednesday.
Retailers placed a lot of hope on the Thanksgiving weekend gift buying this year, but merchants failed to get the big sales boost they were seeking.
The good news for merchants is that more Americans this year turned out to bag Thanksgiving weekend deals than last year. The bad news, however, is that shoppers on average spent less on their purchases compared to a year ago.
Tech-savvy holiday shoppers are hoping a new iPhone application will help them beat the rush on Black Friday.
Holiday shoppers are going green this year ... paying for gifts with greenbacks, that is.
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.
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.
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.
Typically shoplifters, fraudsters and scammers pose the biggest threat to merchants' bottom line.
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.
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.
updated: Thu Sep 20 2007 03:40:00
CNN's Ali Velshi looks at what today's fed rate cut means to the average consumer & homeowner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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