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The shortcomings of self-checkout

by David Brancaccio and Alex Schroeder
Oct 30, 2023
It's not saving retailers as much money as promised, says Amanda Mull of The Atlantic. And it doesn't always make customers' shopping trips easier.
Big retailers are finding that they often need to increase their staffing at self-checkout areas because of difficulties with the technology.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
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Apparel sales might catch a chill as winter nears

by Meghan McCarty Carino
Sep 28, 2023
Nike reported disappointing earnings, weakening the outlook for clothing sales — which have a lot to do with the year-end shopping season.
Since clothing isn't as essential for most households as food and gasoline, sales may soften.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
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"People are feeling the pinch," Montana mall manager says

by Kai Ryssdal , Richard Cunningham and Andie Corban
Sep 12, 2023
We check in with Alana Ferko, manager of the Butte Plaza Mall, who tells us about vacancy rates and a few special guests.
"People are very good at patronizing, and I appreciate that. But it's not enough," says Alana Ferko of the Butte Plaza Mall's vacancies. "I mean, they're gonna put out the energy to come to the mall, we want it to be worth it." Above, a mall in Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why does Costco sell luxury items?

by Jana Kasperkevic
Aug 18, 2023
Everyone loves a good deal.
A worker pushes carts outside a Costco Wholesale store in Mount Prospect, Illinois.
Tim Boyle/Getty Images
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Some welcome inflation news: Prices for goods online are falling

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Apr 10, 2023
It's not inflation slowing, it's actual prices falling.
The price — and demand — for electronics like PCs has dipped substantially since the start of the pandemic.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images
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"You only live once" may explain Americans' continued spending spree

by Kristin Schwab
Mar 16, 2023
Some attribute it to pent-up demand. Others think the American consumer may have changed.
From dining out more frequently to traveling more, Americans continue to splurge on services despite persistent inflation.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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No matter the economy, beauty sells

by Trina Mannino
Mar 15, 2023
Consumers can’t get enough of makeup, skincare and hair products even as inflation persists and a potential recession looms.
Stubborn inflation and the threat of a recession may lead some shoppers to cut back on nonessential items, but that doesn’t apply to their favorite mascara or face mask.
Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Sephora
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In Butte, Montana, holiday shoppers "spent a lot, smiled a lot"

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban
Jan 11, 2023
Mall manager Alana Ferko is coming off a strong holiday shopping season coupled with new business from a Hollywood production.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images
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As our online behavior changes, companies spend less ad money on Google and Meta

by Kristin Schwab
Jan 4, 2023
Part of the reason: Social media platforms like TikTok are changing the way we shop online.
While Google is still a big part of the ad business, people are turning to sites like Amazon "as a product search engine instead," said Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst at Forrester.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
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This year, it's inflation, not contagion, that's driving online commerce

by Matt Levin
Dec 26, 2022
While growth in e-commerce is not as strong as it was at the height of the pandemic, shoppers are still going online to look for good deals.
Though many consumers continue to shop online, internet sales have slowed since their pandemic heights.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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