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‘Walk Annapolis’ promotes shopping in Md. capital
ANNAPOLIS — City leaders in Annapolis are launching a “Walk Annapolis” campaign to highlight the walkability and shop-ability of the state capital. Annapolis Mayor Joshua Cohen plans to launch the campaign Wednesday morning on Main Street. The campaign seeks to boost local businesses by promoting the ease of walking the city’s shopping districts. A new […]
Wal-Mart outlook wary even as profit rises
NEW YORK — As the fortunes of many Americans go, so goes Wal-Mart. The world’s largest retailer on Thursday reported an 8.6 percent rise in fourth quarter profit due to a smaller tax rate, but the company offered a tempered forecast as the lower- to lower-middle income shoppers that it caters to struggle with delayed […]
Target unveils year-round online price match
NEW YORK — Target Corp. is pledging to match prices of select online rivals year-round, a move that underscores how physical and online retailing are being meshed together. Matching online prices is rare but expected to become more common as shoppers move increasingly online. Target, the nation’s second largest discounter behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said […]
Stores look to week after Christmas for sales
Bargain-hungry Americans will need to go on a post-Christmas spending binge to salvage this holiday shopping season. Despite the huge discounts and other incentives that stores offered leading up to Christmas, U.S. holiday sales so far this year have been the weakest since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. So stores now […]
Consumer spending rose 0.4 percent in November
WASHINGTON — Consumers spent and earned more in November, reflecting a rebound from the disruptions caused by Superstorm Sandy. The Commerce Department says consumer spending rose 0.4 percent compared with October. Personal income jumped 0.6 percent, the biggest gain in 11 months. Wages and salaries rose $41.1 billion in November. Sandy had reduced wages at […]
Facebook users hit ‘like,’ stores jump into action
NEW YORK — Facebook isn’t just for goofy pictures and silly chatter. Whether shoppers know it or not, their actions online help dictate what’s in stores during this holiday season. After polling customers on the social media site, Macy’s decided to carry denim jeans in bright neon hues rather than pastels. Wal-Mart for the first […]
Holiday shoppers may see big discounts soon
NEW YORK — If shoppers don’t show up in stores soon, more 70 percent off sale signs will. After a promising start to the holiday shopping season over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, sales have slowed as worries about weak U.S. job growth and other concerns have caused Americans to spend less. That puts pressure on […]
Holiday shopping campaign seeks to boost local stores
As December approaches, small business owners across Baltimore are beefing up their inventories and preparing to woo holiday shoppers with unique products and personal service.
Retailers report weak sales gains for November
NEW YORK — Black Friday was no match for Sandy. Major retailers such as Kohl’s, Target and Macy’s reported weak sales in November as a strong start to the holiday shopping season — including a good showing on the day after Thanksgiving — couldn’t offset the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy earlier in the month. […]
Microsoft’s ads deride Google as a bad place to shop
SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft is trying to skewer Google as a lousy holiday shopping guide in its latest attempt to divert more traffic to its Bing search engine. The attack starts Wednesday with a marketing campaign focused on a recent change in how Google runs the part of its search engine devoted to shopping results. […]
Saturday boosts small business
Last Saturday, hundreds of small business owners in Maryland arrived at the shops where they earn their livelihoods — clothing boutiques, ice cream parlors, craft stores — to set up for the day. Then they waited.
Consumer confidence at highest in 4½ years
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer confidence rose this month to its highest level in almost five years, helped by a better outlook for hiring over the next six months. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 73.7 in November from 73.1 in October. Both are the best readings since February 2008. […]
