NPD Group

How much does that fancy $100-a-bottle department store perfume you wear really cost to make? The answer is one of the retail industry's dirty little secrets -- and with good reason.

Folks aren't buying video games the way they used to -- and that's a problem for the industry. But if the big players are willing to consider some outrageous strategies, they can buy themselves some bonus lives.

The latest news on the video game front isn't pretty. Media tracker NPD Group's data reveals that industry sales plunged 21% last month. It's clear that the industry is undergoing a radical shift, but for investors, the more important issue is why.

Suddenly, Majesco Entertainment isn't living up to its COOL ticker symbol. Shares of the video game developer and publisher got crushed on Tuesday after it surprised the markets by following its previous three blowout quarters with a loss for Q4.

Fast-food companies face a two-headed monster after every New Year%u2019s Day: Diet resolutions and empty wallets. So purveyors of burgers, tacos, fried chicken and the like are getting aggressive, which means means a solid month of gooey, cheesy, melty deals.

Walgreens, the nation's largest pharmacy chain unveiled a new flagship store in Chicago that re-imagines the drugstore experience. Among the "unexpected" new offerings: fresh sushi, salon services, more than 700 fine wines and a juice bar. But will we really buy wine with our aspirin?

We've seen vinyl, 8-track and cassettes come and go. Why should the CD be any different? Side-Line Music Magazine reports that major record labels plan to abandon the CD by the end of 2012 -- if not sooner.

After the strife-torn NBA cancelled the first two weeks of the basketball season, we wondered: Would this mean any financial relief for fans? Somewhere in the war between the wealthy players and owners, are there savings to be found for the ordinary people who spend money on NBA tickets and gear?

The beauty business is undergoing a makeover at some of the nation's biggest retailers, as pharmacies and department stores go after shoppers in new and unconventional ways. Sears, CVS, Duane Reade and their cohorts are courting a business that has rebounded well from the recession despite the country's economic malaise.

Recorded music sales in America plunged another 7% last year as the sharp 16% drop in CD revenue more than offset gains in digital-media sales, according to new report. Overall sales fell despite the fact that illegal downloads of music have declined markedly since LimeWire was shut down.