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Retail sales climbed to a higher-than-expected 0.7% in March

by Samantha Fields
Apr 15, 2024
Consumers are still spending, but that looks a little different now than it has the past few years.
Spending at nonstore retailers — like Temu or Amazon — rose 2.7% last month.
ArtistGNDphotography/Getty Images
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Apparel brands turn to #curvy influencers to court online shoppers

by Elizabeth Trovall
Jan 26, 2024
In the increasingly online women’s apparel market, mid-size and plus-size influencers play a critical role in steering retail dollars toward brands.
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for Ryllace
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The little black lines that could: The barcode and its staying power

by Sarah Leeson
Jan 23, 2024
"Part of the reason they've succeeded this long is that they work fine," says Jordan Frith, a Clemson professor and author of "Barcode."
Barcodes are scanned billions of times a day, says Jordan Frith, a Clemson University professor.
Michel Porro/Getty Images
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After the holidays, retailers hope to keep the party going

by Kristin Schwab
Dec 27, 2023
Even though holiday shopping numbers were solid, retailers might see a slower start to 2024 when consumers' credit card bills come due.
While retailers may encourage January shopping, the push could turn off consumers after an earlier-than-usual start to the holiday selling season.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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The big business of gift guides

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban
Dec 15, 2023
Author Jessica Roy explains why it seems like everyone is releasing a gift guide this year.
Gift guides help legacy media outlets generate revenue amid declining ad sales and subscriptions.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
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What happened to the "magic of Macy's"?

by Elizabeth Trovall
Dec 11, 2023
Investors are reportedly offering less than $6 billion to buy the once-iconic department store chain.
Macy's hasn't kept up with consumer shopping preferences, analysts say.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
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Faced with an onslaught of returns, retailers are telling shoppers: "Just keep it."

by Henry Epp
Dec 1, 2023
“Returnless refunds” or “keep it" return policies have now been adopted by more than half of major retailers, according to a new survey.
One reason retailers have adopted "keep it" return policies is that shipping and re-shelving can cost a lot.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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In retail, it's all about "omnichannel" selling

by Elizabeth Trovall
Nov 23, 2023
It’s not in-store versus online — it’s in-store and online, and something in between.
"[Walmart's] in-store experience is really consistent. They have a lot of doors throughout the U.S. But they're also putting a lot of efforts into online Black Friday deals," said Brittany Steiger at Mintel.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Big box stores go big on renovations to tempt shoppers

by Kristin Schwab
Nov 7, 2023
They're trying to stay ahead of what customers, now used to online convenience and speed, expect from a retailer.
Endless aisles are Walmart’s strength — but also its weakness.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Retail group predicts record holiday spending

by Stephanie Hughes
Nov 3, 2023
The National Retail Federation predicts at least $957 billion in sales this holiday season. But that might not mean everyone is splurging.
Prices for goods are up nearly 1% from a year ago, according to the latest PCE price index.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
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