Justine Griffin/Sarasota Herald-Tribune—Apple fans, rejoice. An Apple Store will open in the Mall at University Town Center. Apple lists Sarasota as one of the 23 sites for stores in the Florida market on its jobs website, although no jobs are currently listed. Sarasota is the only locale on the list of Florida cities that does […]
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Stores Get Stingy About Returns
Kaitlin Pitsker/Kiplinger’s Personal Finance—As you’re double-checking your holiday shopping list, tack on a reminder to read each store’s return policy before making your purchase. Some retailers are feeling a little less generous when it comes to returns. That even includes REI, an outdoor gear and sporting goods retailer long known for its no-time-limit and no-questions-asked […]
Despite complaints, Black Friday continues to creep into Thanksgiving
Kavita Kumar/St. Louis Post-Dispatch—And … they’re off. The Cardinals weren’t the only ones in the midst of a dogfight. Faced with what is shaping up to be a lackluster holiday shopping season, retailers are pulling out all the stops in an effort to get more customers through their doors. So it probably shouldn’t have been […]
Costco a mixed blessing for Sarasota Square
Justine Griffin/Sarasota Herald-Tribune—The east side of Westfield’s Sarasota Square Mall is easily the busiest part of the shopping destination. Cars pack a parking lot that spans the equivalent of a few city blocks toward the residences of Palmer Ranch, and shoppers inevitably head for the large glass door entrance to Costco Wholesale. The store is […]
Washington deal may mean more deals for holiday shoppers
A congressional deal to end the shutdown may be an early Christmas gift for shoppers—and coal for retailers.
By staving off a Treasury default until after the New Year, the government also extended uncertainty, according to analysts.
Shopping forecasts don’t thrill retailers
Justine Griffin/Sarasota Herald-Tribune—Economic uncertainty surrounding the government shutdown has been pushing American consumers to take a conservative approach to spending this holiday season. The National Retail Federation predicts that the average shopper will spend $737.95 on gifts, holiday-themed decor, greeting cards and more this year, down from the $752.24 average shoppers spent in 2012. The […]
