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Why retailers love it when you order online and pickup in store

Nov 23, 2018
Big box and department stores have invested heavily on making it easy for customers to pick up stuff they order online at the store. That’s because research shows that most of those pick-ups actually become shopping trips, where the customer buys more than just what was in the online cart. That’s a growing Black Friday […]

How the day after Thanksgiving came to be known as Black Friday

Nov 19, 2018
This Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, is ubiquitously referred to as “Black Friday” by retailers, consumers and the media. We wondered: What does the term mean? And where’d it come from? Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 
The 24th of September 1869: Panic on 'Black Friday' in the New York Gold Room.
Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images

Attention holiday shoppers! Deals are pretty much everywhere

Nov 15, 2018
Why is your in-box already overflowing with sale alerts and discount codes?
People walk past a shop advertising 'Black Friday' discounts.
Rob Stothard/Getty Images

Holiday jobs outlook full of good cheer

Sep 14, 2018
Seasonal hiring likely to be so strong, employers will vie to fill jobs.
Amazon's 800,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Kent, Washington.
Mitchell Hartman/Marketplace

In Rockport, Texas, residents review Black Friday priorities

Nov 24, 2017
As many Americans try to make the most of retailers offering deals on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, the 10,000 or so residents of Rockport, Texas, are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Many are still living in hotel rooms. Some have had to relocate to rental properties miles […]

Korean firm helps extend Black Friday benefits overseas

Nov 24, 2017
Black Friday is an American phenomenon that increasingly, belongs to the world. Globalization and technology have made it much easier for folks overseas to buy sought-after American goods. This cross-border commerce has been around for decades but today, it’s getting a big boost. Click the above audio player to hear the full story.  Correction: A […]

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A tale of two Thanksgivings: one spent at work, one spent with family

Nov 23, 2017
With Black Friday sales starting at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, some retail workers lose out on time with their families.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a few of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Kena Betancur/Getty Images

Black Friday may not be best day for deals

Nov 22, 2017
More than half the respondents in a survey by WalletHub said Black Friday no longer offers the best deals of the year. The personal finance website analyzed ads from major retailers and found that there are a lot of deals on the day after Thanksgiving, but you have to know where to find them.  Click […]

After five years, has Giving Tuesday caught on?

Nov 29, 2016
The day is designed to get your mind off buying and onto donating.
A woman carries retail shopping bags during Black Friday events this year in New York City.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images