Retail News & Latest Retail Headlines

Tax Doomsday Is Coming for Amazon

12:23PM 2/03/2012

It sometimes seems like every new idea Amazon has dreamed up lately has been designed to help it lose money more efficiently. But the truth is more subtle: If it doesn't take these short-term hits now, it's destined to get crushed in a few years when the tax men come a-calling.

Why J.C. Penney Will Never Be Great Again

6:30AM 2/02/2012

By Rick Aristotle Munarriz, The Motley Fool

Investing, JC Penney, Apple, Target Corp, TJX, Retail

J.C. Penney's new CEO plans to remake the tired old department store chain a la the Apple Store and Target, and his fresh ideas are earning him applause. But as investors and industry watchers cheer Ron Johnson's turnaround concepts, they're ignoring some big potholes on the road ahead.

Super Bowl Spending Is Up ... and It's Good

9:05AM 1/30/2012

By Barbara Thau

Wal-Mart Stores, Amazon.com, Retail, Best Buy

Retailers and consumer products companies are on charging downfield toward a touchdown on Super Bowl Sunday. Consumer spending related to the big game is expected to reach an all-time high this year, with the average watcher projected to shell out $63.87 on Super Bowl-related merchandise.

Macy's to Martha Stewart: Your J.C. Penney Deal Is Not a Good Thing

6:00AM 1/28/2012

By Alyce Lomax, The Motley Fool

Company News, JC Penney, Macy's, Retail

Martha Stewart has a new legal problem to contend with: Macy's, which had an exclusive licensing deal with her namesake company, has filed a lawsuit against Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for hooking up with J.C. Penney.

Happy Chinese New Year! Sorry, the Item You Want Is Back-Ordered

2:45PM 1/27/2012

By Dawn Kawamoto, The Motley Fool

Economy, Retail

Chinese New Year kicked off on Monday, and the celebration of the new lunar cycle will effect you than you might think. When the country that manufactures so much of what we buy goes on vacation for two weeks, U.S. retail can hardly act like it's business as usual.

How J.C. Penney Could Transform the Way America Shops

5:15PM 1/26/2012

By Barbara Thau

JC Penney, Apple, Target Corp, Retail

New CEO Ron Johnson's plan to revamp J.C. Penney is seriously ambitious. No more coupons, almost no more sales, and a complete rethink of the department store model. So why does he think he can pull it off -- and with a chain that has lagged its rivals? Because maybe he can. Here's why:

In the Era of Big Boxes, a Day for the Little Guy

2:00PM 1/26/2012

By The Associated Press

Retail

It began quietly, as an email to 40 friends. But when a steady stream of customers began coming through the door before the family-owned Chagrin Hardware had even opened for the day on Saturday, it was clear that it had turned into much more than that. Hundreds of supporters of the family-owned business flocked to the store all day long, spending money in a veritable "Cash Mob."

J.C. Penney Says 'No Sale': Cuts All Prices, All the Time to Simplify Bargain Hunting

11:07AM 1/25/2012

By The Associated Press

JC Penney, Retail

J.C. Penney is permanently marking down all of its merchandise by at least 40% so shoppers will no longer have to wait for a sale to get its lowest prices. The move is intended to take the guesswork out of shopping by offering customers fewer sales and more predictable pricing.

Stores Go Both High-Tech and Homey to Lure Shoppers In

7:00AM 1/20/2012

By Barbara Thau

Macy's, Apple, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Retail, Best Buy

Retailers are spicing up their brick-and-mortar stores to keep you walking through the door. Their game plan? To design environments that are equal parts high-tech and homespun. But will the changes be enough to keep physical stores from being reduced to showrooms for e-commerce sites?

Bill Clinton Offers a Prescription for the U.S. Economy in NRF Speech

3:10PM 1/17/2012

By Barbara Thau

Economy, Retail

Former President Bill Clinton offered up some wide-ranging prescriptions for curing the nation's ailing economy in a speech at the National Retail Federation's annual convention Monday, from investing in new sectors for job growth to cutting taxes on business.