Digital Day discounts draw in consumers

Dec 27, 2018
Amazon’s third annual Digital Day officially launches on Friday — though some discounts have already been spotted on the website. The company is offering deep discounts on content — digital books movies and games — the sort of thing you can use on its Kindle, Fire TV and Echo devices. The race to get you to buy proprietary […]
An Amazon logo is seen inside the Amazon corporate headquarters on June 16, 2017 in Seattle, Washington.  
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Retailers offer online discounts because they want consumers to click to shop

Dec 25, 2018
And companies are getting more than just your money.
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What's that smell? A rise in "perfume culture"

Dec 24, 2018
Shakeups in the industry have given way to more niche, artisanal fragrances.
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Luxury travel experiences are the next big thing from Louis Vuitton

Dec 14, 2018
LVMH spends $3.2 billion on a deluxe hotel and travel chain to attract millennial money.
The canal in front of the Hotel Cipriani in the Venice lagoon in 2014.
Pierre Teyssot/AFP/Getty Images

The cost of four missing words in the tax law

Dec 12, 2018
Dropped words in the tax law are causing a mess for retailers and restaurants.
The drive-thru machine at the Commack, New York, White Castle is causing problems, but the store put renovations on hold because of the retail glitch in the tax law.
Marrielle Segarra/Marketplace

Gender-specific toys mean more revenue for toy makers

Nov 26, 2018
One growing trend in toy-buying is so-called gender-neutral playthings – toys that don’t reinforce gender stereotypes like trucks for boys or dolls for girls. But those stereotypes appear hard to shake for both toy makers and consumers. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 
A child rides a 'Morfboard Scoot & Skate' at a 'Dream Toys' event to unveil the top twelve toys this Christmas on November 14, 2018 in London, England. 
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For public good, not for profit.

Target's investments in online shopping are paying off

Nov 26, 2018
Target missed earnings expectations for the third quarter, yet the company is maintaining its forecast for the whole year. The reason? The retailer’s investments in its online segment are weighing down on its profit margins, but those investments are getting some traction as online sales jumped 49 percent in the latest quarter. Click the audio […]

Unclaimed Baggage Center turns one person’s lost stuff into another’s bargain buy

Nov 26, 2018
Some unique finds: A Christmas sweater with two neck holes, antlers, a taxidermied frog.
Shoppers at the Unclaimed Baggage Center shortly after doors opened at 8am. 
Gigi Douban/Marketplace

Doing your Christmas shopping on your phone? Don't feel special, pretty much everyone's doing that

Nov 26, 2018
The more your friends post about their #favoritethings, the more likely you are to buy from your phone.
The more your friends post about their #favoritethings, the more likely you are to buy from your phone. 
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