consumer trends

Downtown Cincinnati retailers wrapping up better-than-expected holiday

For a year when downtown retailers expected dismal holiday sales, the stockings actually arrived half-full.They might not have seen the same-size receipts as in 2007, but many downtown merchants and restaurant operators say activity beat... more »

Businesses weather economy

Colchester, Conn. — Despite the recent financial crisis on Wall Street, many Colchester business owners say their loyal customers keep coming back.Even before a national recession was declared, the motto on bags given out at... more »

Happy Holiday$ Local shoppers help retailers buck national trend

Le Mars, Iowa — Crummy economy? Worse weather? Local store managers and owners didn't wince.Many are reporting Christmas season sales that matched or were close to last year's good numbers.That's not the story across the... more »

Stronger than expected holiday sales reported by Fulton area retailers

Retail sales for most Fulton businesses were up this year during the traditional holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a Fulton Sun survey reveals.Many retailers were surprised by the strength of sales because of so... more »

Shops busy Saturday, but Christmas bottom line won’t be known for days

West Park Mall was bustling with people Saturday."You can tell it's busy," said Amy McAllister of Cape Girardeau. "People are parking all the way back to Taco Bell."McAllister preferred to wait in the car with... more »

In effort to save the sales season, stores turn to discounts

Soon after Uniquely Leo's Ltd. opened at 10 a.m. Friday, a man came in with a shopping list from his wife.That gave store owner Marcelyn Miller a flicker of hope through the gloom of recent... more »

Black Friday II: With gift cards in hand, shoppers descend on stores

Traditionally, Dec. 26 has been a day to return gifts that didn't fit or weren't to the recipient's taste. But gift cards are turning the day into a shopping bonanza similar to Black Friday."The traffic... more »

Shop talk: Lessons gleaned from the holiday shopping season

I am a student of shopping. I get my thrill from watching people shop, learning why people shop and discovering how shopping habits affect people and the world around them.Not surprisingly, the holiday shopping season... more »