Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

'Tis the season of post-holiday gift returns

Jan 4, 2023
About 18% of all holiday sales are expected to be returned. That comes with costs to companies, consumers, and the climate.
An estimated $171 billion in returns are expected from this holiday season, says a report from the National Retail Federation.
Sean Gallup/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

How much profit do fireworks stands make?

Dec 16, 2022
One fireworks business owner said a 20% profit margin is considered "great."
As the new year approaches, some fireworks businesses are starting to pitch their tents.
franckreporter/Getty Images

A Seattle 'candle bar' sees its first holiday shopping season

Dec 8, 2022
Originally started in her kitchen during the pandemic, candlemaker Colina Bruce talks about moving her business into a brick-and-mortar store and how things are shaping up through the holidays.
"Noir Lux started as kind of a pandemic passion project in my kitchen," said owner Colina Bruce. "That led into launching a whole ecommerce site, virtual candle- making classes, and that got my wheels turning about what it might look like for me to have my own space."
Cr. @kingnoir31

For hiking outfitter, this holiday season feels like a path untrodden

Dec 7, 2022
From dealing with surplus inventory to accommodating changing consumer habits, this Georgia retailer is trying to suss out the future.
Eric Champlin (left) and husband Rob Sollie at their shop in Hiawassee, Georgia. "Consumer buying patterns are definitely shifting," Champlin says.
Courtesy Champlin

What Target's poor third-quarter results say about the retail sector

Nov 16, 2022
The company missed profit expectations, and its leadership is warning of a soft holiday season.
“In some ways, Target is a microcosm for what's happening in retail,” says Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData, a retail research firm.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Adapting an e-commerce product for retail shelves

Nov 15, 2022
“It essentially changes the DNA of your business,” said Lindsay McCormick, CEO of personal care products company Bite.
Lindsay McCormick, CEO of personal care products company Bite, holds a package of deodorant.
Maria Hollenhorst/Marketplace

For public good, not for profit.

How a pandemic layoff and career pivot made this Buffalonian "the happiest I've ever been"

Nov 1, 2022
A few months into the pandemic, Sam Heansel was laid off from her graphic design job. She's been working at a pet store for two years.
Sam Heansel during her shift at Elmwood Pet Supplies.
Brandon Watson

Maine chocolatiers resist raising prices as holiday sales begin

Sep 26, 2022
Kristin Thalheimer Bingham, co-owner of Dean's Sweets in Portland, talks about preparing for the holidays and rising costs.
"We are resisting, really resisting price increases," says Kristin Thalheimer Bingham of Dean's Sweets in Portland, Maine.
Melissa Mullen Photography

Retailers vexed by rising "shrink"

Sep 19, 2022
The National Retail Federation says theft, fraud and poor inventory management led to $95 billion in losses last year.
Cabinets built to shield against theft in a Walgreens store. Several large retailers have closed outlets or reduced hours to combat the problem.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images