consumer trends

Late Black Friday, Shorter Holiday Season Impact November Retail Sales, According to NRF

Washington, DC – While shoppers were out and about Black Friday weekend, they kept their pennies to themselves the rest of the month with November retail sales showing continued consumer restraint. According to the National... more »

Holiday Shoppers Treated Like Celebrities

With retail sales at their weakest in more than three decades, stores and businesses are going above and beyond to get shoppers inside to spend money. Many stores are offering consumers some unique incentives for... more »

Shoplifting on rise in tough times

Store clerk Summer Johnson knelt in front of a rack of leather jackets inside the Blanding Boulevard Jagmania outlet and used anti-theft tags and security chains to connect them together."We double-team 'em," she said as... more »

From wary to merry

While fiscal storm clouds may be signalling a less-than-festive sales season for many businesses, it appears local merchants such as Jonathon Bancroft-Snell aren't anticipating lumps of coal in their stockings when Christmas figures are tallied... more »

Local retailers: Holiday shopping has been steady

Bowling Green, KY—The outlook was bleak, but local retail sales have been steady since the holiday shopping season officially began last week.Even though national retail sales tumbled in November due to the slumping economy, several... more »

Black Friday Not Black Enough

For most of the smaller retail merchants in Alexandria, Belle View Shopping Center and Hollin Hall Shopping Center "Black Friday" was not nearly as bleak as many had expected. However, it was nothing to cheer... more »

Independent shops wonder what’s in store for the holidays

The holiday shopping season may be in full swing, but local independent retailers are feeling more cautious this year than joyful.They don't need to read the headlines to know we're in a recession. All the... more »

Some merchants get creative to boost sales

Pleasantly surprised, but still cautious, is how some owners of mom and pop stores in the South Hills are rating this holiday shopping season so far.Some local business owners who traditionally have brisk sales breathed... more »