National Retail Federation

NRF Expo: The 4 Coolest Things We Saw at Retail's BIG Show

The annual National Retail Federation Expo isn't exactly overflowing with consumer-facing innovations: Most of the floor space goes to companies pitching behind-the-scenes gear and software for merchants. Still, there were some cool technologies on display that caught our eye.

Crocs CEO Explains Why He Isn't Wearing Crocs

We caught up with Crocs CEO John McCarvel at the National Retail Federation's annual expo Monday, where he received the award for Retail Innovator of the Year. And we couldn't help but notice that he wasn't wearing Crocs.

Last-Minute Christmas Shopping Guide

The kick-off to the holiday season gets earlier every year, but that doesn't mean that consumers are getting better at finishing their shopping early. As the National Retail Federation notes, American consumers typically have about half their holiday shopping left to go in mid-December.

Holiday Shopping Calendar: Your List of the Best Days to Buy

Black Friday has been around for decades, but in the last several years, the holiday shopping season has gained a number of additional "special" shopping days. So if you're looking for the right days for deals, (or when to avoid the crowds) here's a run-down of all the retail deal days worth knowing.

Five Big Surprises from Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the two most heavily hyped shopping days of the season, are behind us: Online retail sales were fantastic, and Amazon and Walmart had nice weekends. But anyone could have predicted that. Here are a few results of the big shopping weekend you probably didn't see coming.

Pop Quiz: A Brief and Bizarre History of Black Friday

As we head into the retail combat that is Black Friday, we wanted to reflect on where annual shopping frenzy came from, and recap some of the worst tales to come out of it. With that in mind, we offer our Black Friday Pop Quiz.

5 Things You Shouldn't Buy on Black Friday

According to the National Retail Federation, 147 million Americans plan to shop on Black Friday weekend, because that's when they'll get the best deals. But that's just not always so. For these five types of purchase, you'd be better off skipping the post-Thanksgiving stampede.

Is Cyber Monday Obsolete?

It was only seven years ago that some clever folks at Shop.org decided to promote e-commerce with its own version of Black Friday, and Cyber Monday was born. But in our smartphone- and tablet-powered world, holiday shopping is getting more "cyber" every year. Does online retail still need its special day?

Can Retailers Beat 'Showrooming' This Christmas?

Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are turning from stores where people buy things into showrooms for e-commerce sites. But this holiday season, with their most important quarter of the year hanging in the balance, they're fighting back hard.

Online Shopping (and Fraud) Likely to Soar This Holiday Season

When it comes to holiday shopping, there's one trend you can count on every year: Online sales will grow like gangbusters. But whether you're on a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, it's important to remember that buying online carries extra risks of identity theft and fraud.