consumer trends

Local retailing trends show some signs of economic turnaround

Upper Providence — A two-hour wait for a table at Olive Garden on weekends and insanely long checkout lines at Wegmans on any given Saturday might indicate that the economy has finally gone from bust... more »

Retail sales leap in March with early Easter, warm days

Shoppers satisfied their urge to splurge in March, scooping up Easter goodies and warm-weather clothing to give retailers their biggest monthly sales boost in more than a decade.Many stores enjoyed double-digit sales increases at stores... more »

Easter, longer month increase March retail sales

Increased mall traffic and strong consumer interest in seasonal Easter items bolstered March sales, according to a well-known economic indicator released Tuesday.The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index for March rose an average 3.9 percent compared... more »

Delafield businesses are ready for better days

Delafield — When Donna Lee Stecker opened her boutique clothing store 10 years ago on Genesee St., Delafield's historic downtown was a busier place.The economy was strong, and the town had an antique mall and... more »

Retail experts see increase in Easter sales this year

Got peeps? How about chocolate bunnies, or Cadbury eggs?Easter, a Christian holiday that marks new life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is an end to the long winter. And Easter celebrations - both religious... more »

Sales rise for Michigan retailers

Michigan retailers' sales and forecasts rose in February, surging past last winter's weak numbers, according to the latest Michigan Retail Index survey, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) and the Federal Reserve Bank... more »

Easter carves out its niche in retail world

Las Cruces — Are any chocolate bunnies or marshmallow peeps in your immediate future? While it doesn't have the weeks of buildup of Christmas and it doesn't drive single-day sales as well as Valentine's Day,... more »

Retailers finding ways to put buying power in shoppers’ hands

In the brave new world of retailing, stores are going to be less concerned about what's in shoppers' wallets and more interested in what's on their mobile phones.Retailers and a wave of start-up companies are... more »