Amazon rolls out Black Friday exclusives, app enhancements

The shopping app's new features allow customers to scan delivered packages to see what's in them without opening them and to compare real-life items with other product options.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 1, 2016

Moody's: Retail sector stable, healthy holiday sales ahead

Home improvement, dollar stores, specialty retail and off-price will drive revenues, while other segments — including department stores, apparel and footwear, office supply and discounters and warehouse clubs — face headwinds.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 1, 2016

Luxury handbag retailers scaling back assortments to revive demand

Competing on price can kill margins for any retailer, but it’s especially problematic for high-fashion companies because big price tags are part of their brand identity.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 31, 2016

Office Depot launches Black Friday deals before Halloween

Traditional definitions of Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargains are eroding as retailers amp up their promotions earlier than ever to capture shoppers’ attention.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 31, 2016

Target boosts Spanish-language ads for the holidays

The retailer is boosting spending on Spanish-language television ads by 67% this year to reach an increasingly important segment of its customer base.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 28, 2016

Adobe forecasts blockbuster $91B holiday retail season

Cyber Monday is set to be the largest online shopping day of all time, raking in a projected $3.36 billion in sales.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 28, 2016

UPS expecting record holiday deliveries as e-commerce continues to drive revenue

The shipping company is on pace to deliver more than 700 million packages between Black Friday and New Year’s Eve, up 14% from the same period in 2015. 

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 27, 2016

Wal-Mart boosts omnichannel, adds 'holiday helpers'

The retail giant will also ramp up in-store experiences with Santa Claus appearances and product demos.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 27, 2016

Deloitte: Retailers to see record web traffic over holidays

Fewer people this year plan to visit big-box retailers, malls and smaller, independent merchants.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 27, 2016

Apple forecasts tepid holiday season despite Samsung's weakness

The computing giant is projecting sales of $76 billion to $78 billion for the last three months of 2016, further rattling investors already spooked by competition and saturation in the global smartphone market.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 26, 2016

Target ramps up holiday exclusives, deals to combat Wal-Mart

Highlights include Wondershop, a store-in-store with over 2,000 seasonal items for shoppers' tree-trimming needs, including a one-of-a-kind Bullseye ornament.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 26, 2016

Best Buy repeats free holiday shipping

Shipping costs are consistently cited by holiday shoppers as an annoyance that sends them to stores or to rival retailers.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 25, 2016

Two biggest US mall companies staying open on Thanksgiving

Both Simon Property Group and General Growth Properties will open their doors to holiday shoppers.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 25, 2016

Why Macy's will open its doors on Thanksgiving Day, but Mall of America won't

Black Friday creep has pressured big-box retailers to open earlier and earlier, but some have emphatically announced they will close. Which strategy works best?

By Corinne Ruff • Oct. 24, 2016

4 product crazes that will dominate holiday shopping lists

This year, shoppers have dreams of electronics, VR headsets and tech-enabled toys running through their heads. Can retailers deliver on expectations?

By Sandy Skrovan • Oct. 24, 2016

REI expands #OptOutside campaign, won't open Black Friday

The outdoor retailer is shuttering all 149 of its stores on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday, processing no online sales and paying employees to take those days off and head outdoors instead.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2016

Sears refutes claims that toy vendor cut off Kmart

The embattled retailer has “always paid our vendors for orders we have placed," CFO Jason Hollar said in a blog post.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2016

Why Black Friday is losing prominence during the 2016 holiday shopping season

Traditionally the single-biggest sales day of the year, the shopping holiday has morphed into a month-long event — causing retailers to adapt their strategies. 

By Corinne Ruff • Oct. 20, 2016

Wet Seal plans pop-up stores for the holidays

The retailer shuttered a third of its stores when it filed for bankruptcy more than a year ago, but leveraging temporary locations could help attract holiday shoppers.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 20, 2016

Why retailers' cybersecurity vulnerabilities could hurt holiday sales

Merchants keep falling prey to cybercrime, but retail executives keep diverting attention and funding elsewhere. The problem is it could cost them customers — in some cases, forever.

By Jason Ankeny • Oct. 19, 2016

Macy's teams up with electronics retailer Brookstone to ignite holiday sales

Brookstone’s merchandise includes tech-enabled pens, wine openers, massage tools and drones — the kinds of items that are especially popular as holiday gifts.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 18, 2016

Report: Macy's to open at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day

Macy’s has been open on the holiday since 2014, but is expected to open even earlier at many of its stores, according to retail blog BestBlackFriday.com.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 17, 2016

8 experts predict the 2016 holiday shopping season

Industry forecasters are calling for a merry and bright 2016 holiday season. But is the optimism on target or off-base?

By Jason Ankeny • Oct. 17, 2016

Accenture: Holiday bargain hunters start search at Amazon

Consumers will shop multiple retailers to find the best holiday season prices, and the majority will check Amazon before they go anywhere else.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 13, 2016

Amazon adds toys to Alexa's repertoire in time for holiday shopping

Consumers can now use the Alexa voice-activated virtual assistant software to shop for toys available through Amazon Prime.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 13, 2016