Tricks of the TradeTrump's Second TermMy EconomyI've Always Wondered ...

Loading...

0:00
0% played
Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!
Stories Tagged as

Shopping

Black Friday deals hitting your inbox already? You're not alone.

by Caleigh Wells
Nov 4, 2024
We're barely out of Halloween, yet retailers are keen to get the holiday shopping season started.
Earlier Black Friday deals this year are partially in response to potential port strikes and partially go back to pandemic supply chain snarls.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

Back-to-school shoppers have value at the top of their lists

by Savannah Peters
Aug 8, 2024
Brands are tasked with coaxing more inflation-weary parents into spending.
"Consumers might say, 'OK, I’m going to shop at a discount store when I might have previously shopped at a traditional big box store,'" says Claire Tassin, an analyst with Morning Consult.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

Retail sales figures are flat but a deeper dive shows consumer resilience

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Jul 16, 2024
Spending in many sectors, like furniture and online shopping, was strong. Falling prices also depressed the top line numbers in some categories.
When you take out car sales and gas spending, consumers actually spent 0.8% more in June than in May.
PRImageFactory/iStock/Getty Images Plus
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

Shoppers have been feeling pretty meh. But that could move the Fed to start cutting interest rates.

by Henry Epp
Jul 15, 2024
One wild card: back-to-school shopping.
Back-to-school shopping season has started really early this year.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

Retail sales climbed to a higher-than-expected 0.7% in March

by Samantha Fields
Apr 15, 2024
Consumers are still spending, but that looks a little different now than it has the past few years.
Spending at nonstore retailers — like Temu or Amazon — rose 2.7% last month.
ArtistGNDphotography/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

Apparel brands turn to #curvy influencers to court online shoppers

by Elizabeth Trovall
Jan 26, 2024
In the increasingly online women’s apparel market, mid-size and plus-size influencers play a critical role in steering retail dollars toward brands.
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for Ryllace
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

The little black lines that could: The barcode and its staying power

by Sarah Leeson
Jan 23, 2024
"Part of the reason they've succeeded this long is that they work fine," says Jordan Frith, a Clemson professor and author of "Barcode."
Barcodes are scanned billions of times a day, says Jordan Frith, a Clemson University professor.
Michel Porro/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

For public good, not for profit.

Donate

After the holidays, retailers hope to keep the party going

by Kristin Schwab
Dec 27, 2023
Even though holiday shopping numbers were solid, retailers might see a slower start to 2024 when consumers' credit card bills come due.
While retailers may encourage January shopping, the push could turn off consumers after an earlier-than-usual start to the holiday selling season.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

The big business of gift guides

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban
Dec 15, 2023
Author Jessica Roy explains why it seems like everyone is releasing a gift guide this year.
Gift guides help legacy media outlets generate revenue amid declining ad sales and subscriptions.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

What happened to the "magic of Macy's"?

by Elizabeth Trovall
Dec 11, 2023
Investors are reportedly offering less than $6 billion to buy the once-iconic department store chain.
Macy's hasn't kept up with consumer shopping preferences, analysts say.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE