retail

Amazon plays by its own rules -- and the online retail giant usually wins. Check out this infographic by blogger FrugalDad that gives you a peek at who you're paying when you opt for the Free SuperSaver Shipping.

Gap executives this week set plans to turnaround its ailing namesake stores, which include jazzing up its concededly drab clothing mix with more colorful items and prints. But is that what shoppers really want from the iconic brand?

Retailers nationwide are expected to hire up to 500,000 seasonal workers this year, but with ongoing high unemployment, expect stiff competition for those jobs at the mall. DailyFinance's Laura Rowley offers tips on who else may be hiring for the holidays, and how to land one of those jobs.

Style Scavenger, our new column, is about finding good stuff in unexpected places. Our first challenge: Helping a recent college grad evolve his look from funky-grunge to interview- and office-ready. But before we get to the clothes, we'll have to figure out what to do with the tie-dyed hair...

Gas prices have finally begun to reflect the falling price of oil, which dipped from nearly $100 a barrel in July to less than $78 now. A gallon of regular averaged $3.408 Tuesday, down from $3.662 a month ago. That's excellent news for the nation's retailers as we approach the holiday shopping season.

Despite a tepid economy, Halloween spending is expected to rise, as more people than ever celebrate the ghoul and goblin heavy ritual, according to the National Retail Federation's Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions survey.

The American consumer's financial health is showing signs of improvement, but the weak job market continues to derail the nation's economic recovery -- particularly for people in the lower income brackets, according to September's Consumer Reports Index, released on Tuesday.

Uniforms are increasingly becoming the fashion du jour in America's classrooms, with more school districts across the nation going the dress-code route. Big retailers are seeing sales potential, while families see a chance to save money in shaky economic times.

It's no secret that a relaxing environment can keep customers more satisfied. But a new study shows that shoppers also rate products' values higher when they're relaxed. Here's why it might be better to hold off on buying until you're less calm.

Athleta, a women's sportswear merchant that the Gap bought in 2008, opened its first two East Coast stores in New York this week. At a time when 200 Gap stores are closing, Athleta is sprinting toward its goal of 50 stores by 2013. But can it beat out its fast-growing competitors?