consumer trends

South Florida’s economy recovering, retail executives say

South Floridians have begun spending again, turning their back on a brutal recession that caused fundamental changes in the region's economy, business executives said Tuesday.Speaking at a Miami-Dade business forum, executives from the retail industry... more »

Fort Collins retail sales see a boost

Stronger Black Friday sales and renewed consumer confidence helped boost retail sales in Fort Collins in November pushing the city to its strongest retail performance since 2007.December sales tax collections, up 3.2 percent, reflect November... more »

Holiday retail sales and hiring up significantly from 2009 season

ShopperTrak, the latest retail group to release holiday figures, said Monday that U.S. retail sales rose a solid 4% for the crucial November-December period. Foot traffic increased 1.8%.Poor weather hurt shopping trends in December, but... more »

After-Christmas shopping going strong despite snowy weather

Layton -- Christmas may be over, but that doesn't mean shoppers have quit buying gifts for the holidays. Thanks to a certain popular gift, crowds of people still have Christmas shopping to do, and stores... more »

Retailers crackdown on holiday returns

The relatives are gone and it's time to return those gifts you don't like or exchange them for something better.Return fraud is on the rise however and retailers are cracking down on return policies.The National... more »

Retailers say November sales show Michigan’s economy improving

Lansing, MI - Michigan retailers had the best November sales in more than a decade. November sales were the highest for the month since 1999, according to the Michigan Retail Index. Higher sales were accompanied... more »

Shopping goes on past the big day

'Twas the day after Christmas, and even warnings of a snowstorm didn't stop area stores from making a last-minute shopping push. At Harford Mall, Santa's area was all packed up with care, while visions of... more »

Retail sales during holiday season rise 5.5% over last year

A holiday spending resurgence led by strong online sales gave U.S. retailers a much-needed boost and helped improve the nation's economic outlook heading into the new year.Retail sales from Nov. 5 through Dec. 24 rose... more »