consumer trends

September Sales May Foreshadow Holidays

Retailers and analysts will be closely watching September sales reports due Thursday from key store chains for any sign they may need to adjust their already-gloomy holiday forecasts.Two analyst reports predict that Christmas-season sales will... more »

NRF Forecasts One Percent Decline In Holiday Sales

Washington — The National Retail Federation today released its 2009 holiday forecast, projecting holiday retail industry sales to decline one percent this year to $437.6 billion.* While this number falls significantly below the ten-year average... more »

Retail sales stage a comeback

After steep falls over the past couple of months, retail sales rebounded sharply in August, rising by 0.9 per cent.This augurs well for retail landlords as they approach the crucial lead-up to Christmas and the... more »

‘Big-Box’ Retailers Spice Up Gift Cards For Holiday Season

New York -- Some "big-box" retailers may be spicing up an otherwise plain-vanilla product this holiday season to lure in value-conscious consumers - the gift card.Certain of these retailers - whose stores are physically large... more »

Greenspan predicts economic growth to hit 3 percent or higher

Washington -- The U.S. economy will grow more than expected in the third quarter, but unemployment also will continue to increase and will pass 10 percent, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Sunday.Greenspan told... more »

Recession-stung stores plan old-fashioned holidays

New York — Stores are turning back the clock, conjuring images of hearth and home as they stock their holiday merchandise. Retailers hope embracing holiday traditions from cozier times will tempt recession-weary consumers to open... more »

U.S. retail landlords less willing to negotiate

New York, NY - While retailers are likely to face another tough holiday season, it may be much more difficult for them to extract any concessions from their landlords to help ease the ride, a... more »

Gift store owners see hope in shoppers’ growing purchases

After moving their business to Ballantyne 10 years ago, the owners of the Cubbyhole gift shop watched as the area boomed. But as job and recession worries sent chills rippling last fall and winter, the... more »