Growth in retail sales is slowing. That's a bad sign for the economy

Nov 17, 2020
As goes the U.S. consumer, so goes the U.S. economy.
Shoppers walk in South Coast Plaza in August in Costa Mesa, California. Smaller retailers are having a harder time transitioning to online sales and adjusting to COVID-19 restrictions.
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Retail sales grew a slower-than-expected 0.3% in October

Nov 17, 2020
Retail sales growth slowed even as retailers offered early holiday discounts online and in stores.
Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Macy's

Retailers get creative to handle expected crush of online sales

Nov 13, 2020
Walmart is converting 42 warehouses that normally ship products to its stores so they can also fulfill online orders.
An employee prepares boxes for shipment at a warehouse in Draper, Utah. Retailers are preparing their warehouses for a surge in online orders.
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Pandemic pushes holiday retail jobs off the sales floor

Oct 27, 2020
Hiring is down overall, but up for e-commerce jobs. Warehouse and shelf-stocking jobs have tripled compared to past years.
Masks and hand sanitizer are given to customers entering a Dick's Sporting Goods during the pandemic. "The holiday season is going to look very different for retailers and workers alike," one economist says.
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How long can consumers keep spending?

Oct 16, 2020
Retail sales jumped nearly 2% in September, but it's hard to exactly say why.
One economist says without more federal stimulus, we're risking a double-dip recession.
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COVID-19 holiday creep is already here

Oct 12, 2020
Holiday shopping is early and mostly online this year, experts say. Avoiding supply-chain delays is part of the reason.
Consumers return to retail shopping at the a mall in Glendale, Arizona, in June. Holiday shopping will be mostly online this year due to the pandemic.
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The devil is in the details when it comes to rising retail sales

Sep 16, 2020
Spending continues to grow, but at a slower pace. And some expect it to level off altogether in the coming quarter.
Patrons dine at an outdoor restaurant in downtown San Diego, California, in July.
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For public good, not for profit.

LVMH pulls out of Tiffany deal because of tariffs threat

Sep 9, 2020
But it could also have something to do with how luxury retail is doing during the pandemic.
A customer wearing a face mask walks past shops of luxury brands Tiffany's and Guerin at a mall in Paris. Luxury goods sales are down during the pandemic.
Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images

Retailers go "conservative"

Sep 8, 2020
Going into the fall and the holidays, retailers are being cautious about what they buy.
A reopened Urban Outfitters store in Santa Monica, California. Heading into fall, retailers are being cautious about having too much inventory.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Ulta beckons consumers back to buying beauty products

Sep 8, 2020
Shutdowns and working from home have changed the market for personal care products during the pandemic.
Consumers are interested in experimenting with colorful eye makeup these days, says consultant Jonathan Greenway. "There's a much larger focus on anything above the mask," he said.
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