Retail

Many shoppers got a head start on their shopping this morning before the sun rose. But for those in the market for clothing, a visit to this fashion website could have made their trip much shorter. Cash Peters has more.

Shoppers across the nation will flood to retail stores on Black Friday. But some of the best deals are on the Web -- and one site in particular has some retailers angry, because it's spoiling some savings surprises. Andrew Phelps reports.

Retailers know consumers can't negotiate with their nose when it finds something it likes. Lisa Napoli talks to Rachel Herz, author of "The Scent of Desire," about how some stores are using smell to seal the deal.

You may be lucky enough to find a good deal tomorrow when you risk the chaos at the stores, but some people found their bargains online as long as two months ago. Andrew Phelps tells us how.

While many don't have to worry about the dreaded annual shopping rush until tomorrow, some are gearing up by pumping out the Christmas spirit today. Alisa Roth explores the advance on the next holiday.

Most analyst estimates for this year's holiday retail sales are for about a 4% increase over last year. But how do they know? Marshall Cohen, the chief analyst at the market research firm NPD Group, explains to Kai Ryssdal.

Retail powerhouse Wal-Mart has been taking great pains to improve its image by adopting environmental standards across all of its stores. Kai Ryssdal talks to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott.

British cosmetics manufacturer Mark Constantine is very critical of his own industry, and he's started a revolution in the world of marketing -- products with minimal packaging, aimed at a green market.

America's consumer economy may be a symptom of a bigger illness -- and it could be killing us all. As a species, we simply don't know what to do with all this excess, says prominent UCLA researcher Dr. Peter Whybrow.

Global consumer spending has skyrocketed in the past two decades. But is advertising to blame? Do we all simply want more stuff, or do we need it for our high-speed modern lifestyles? It's a little of both, says marketing expert Kit Yarrow.