shoppers

Barack Obama may have said, "There are no red states or blue states, just the United States," but when it comes to our online shopping and bill-paying patterns, there are some notable divides in our habits.

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:

Men, who have endured slightly higher unemployment rates than women, have been taking on more of the household shopping, according to a recent report. The trend hasn't boded well for stores: On average, men spend less than women on each trip.

'Tis the season to remember the less fortunate, and Jim Gibbons, CEO of Goodwill Industries, hopes his nonprofit will be on the receiving end as you make out your charitable giving list. With unemployment still hovering near 10%, his organization is serving more people than ever with aid, inexpensive goods and job training.

Knowing customers' likes and dislikes is about as basic as it gets in retailing. But for years, national department stores got it wrong. More concerned with controlling costs, big retailers focused on sameness. Not anymore.

Here's news from the business world and other money matters to watch out for Thursday (last updated at 7:30 a.m. Eastern time): Americans Owe Less Credit-Card Debt: Skittish consumers reduced their credit-card indebtedness sharply in the second quarter, credit-rating company TransUnion reported...

The nation's recovery may appear slow in coming, but consumers are more upbeat heading into 2010. The Conference Board's consumer confidence rose to 52.9 in December, up from a revised 50.6 last month. That's the second monthly rise in a row.

Retailers are adjusting to an increasing number of customers buying food with food stamps. Some stores have had to change they way to do business to accommodate shoppers on food stamps, who flood the stores on the first day of the month, when the benefits arrive.

Less than a month after Costco (COST) said it was going to clear Coca-Cola's (KO) products from its shelves, the warehouse retailer has changed its mind. According to Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti, the two companies have resolved their issues and Coke will be back in the cavernous...

Everyone loves to hate Walmart. So, who shops there and makes it the Goliath that it is? Is it shoppers like the ones you see in this video posted by peopleofwalmart.com? The site claims to be a "satirical social commentary of the extraordinary sights" found at Walmart. Judging by the...