consumer trends

Holiday Sales Decline 2.8 Percent in 2008, According to NRF

New York City, NY – A deep recession, severe winter weather and five fewer shopping days combined to create the most challenging sales environment in years for the nation's retailers. According to the National Retail... more »

Hawaii shop finds customer loyalty is in the cards

Malia Johnson is practical when she talks about the little purple-and-white cards that customers redeemed during the holidays for discounts on jewelry, candles, crystals and other gifts at Sedona, her gift store in Ward Centre.While... more »

Cheap is chic in recession, NRF chief says

New York, NY - Price has become the most important factor in U.S. consumer purchase decisions and retailers must adapt to that new reality if they are to be successful, the head of a key... more »

Skittish shoppers, fewer stores

Central Florida's retail industry is facing bankruptcies, closings and layoffs as the economy worsens and stores have difficulty recovering from the holiday season dominated by shoppers who responded only to deals."The problem is consumers have... more »

Downtown gift certificates boost sales

Traverse City, Michigan -- Merchants got some bang from downtown bucks during a wobbly holiday shopping season.Sales of Downtown Traverse City Association gift certificates soared to $192,425 this holiday season, up 25 percent from last... more »

After sales, will shoppers pay full price again?

New York -- Shoppers are getting used to those 75 percent off sale signs, and that's bad news for merchants who worry they will also have to quickly slash prices on spring goods to attract... more »

U.S. Retailers to Report Grim Results

When retailers report December sales on Thursday, the picture won't be pretty.Sales at stores open at least a year -- a key barometer of retail health -- are expected to show an average decline of... more »

Return Line: Retailers Brace for Step-Up in Exchanges

Consumers are expected to return more holiday purchases than usual this year, adding to pressure on retailers' bottom lines after a disappointing season.Some shoppers tempted by deep discounts to buy things for themselves or others... more »