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Electronics and appliance store sales rose in July

Aug 16, 2024
Promotions, AI-ready computers and a need for new gear all likely played a role.
Consumers who purchased PCs at the height of the pandemic may find it's nearing the time to replace or upgrade their tech.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Retailers wielding holiday discounts as competitive weapon

Nov 27, 2023
Instead of marking down items to clear inventory, retailers are using discounts to draw customers away from competitors.
Sales from post-Thanksgiving promotions could influence what the rest of the holiday shopping season looks like.
Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images

What are the origins of rebates? 

Oct 6, 2023
The term goes back centuries, and became a major source of controversy in the late 19th century.
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Retail inventories have dropped. But discounts might stick around.

Aug 16, 2023
Over the last year, many retailers have been successfully using discounts to purge their excess inventories. Now, retailers might use discounts to lure skittish consumers.
Target announced its inventories were down 17% from last year.
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More retailers turn to discounts to lure shoppers

May 17, 2023
Target, for example, warned investors of price promotions in the pipeline.
Retailers have increasingly been using discounts and promotions to encourage shoppers to keep spending.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Extreme couponing is back. But it's on TikTok this time.

Feb 1, 2023
Clipping coupons may be largely digital now, but the deals are still out there. Kayla Burk is teaching a younger generation how to use them.
Kayla Burk, a full-time extreme couponer, makes TikTok explainer videos on how to get discounts.
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

With retail inventories up 17% since last year, expect sales

Dec 19, 2022
Retailers' inventories in October were nearly 17% higher than a year before.
Inventory levels are 17% higher in October than a year earlier, according to the Commerce Department. That means retailers will likely discount goods to move merchandise.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Deep discounts may move inventory, but at what cost?

Nov 24, 2022
Customers love sale prices — but they can pose real risks for retailers and manufacturers.
Markdowns often hurt the profit margins of retailers. Meanwhile, stores are facing higher costs.
Allison Dinner/Getty Images

Do consumers expect discounts when inflation is running hot?

Feb 18, 2022
President's Day weekend is usually marked by sales. But both supply chain shortages and inflation are complicating the hunt for a bargain.
Walmart reported strong earnings this week, as consumers try to find bargains at a bargain-scarce time.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Inside the world of fake discounts

What would you fake to save a little money?
Sean Gallup/Getty Images