Rising prices could stall local recovery Justine Griffin/Sarasota Herald-Tribune Waning consumer confidence and tepid spending could stall the already-slow economic recovery in Southwest Florida and elsewhere, following a lackluster holiday shopping season and price increases set for later this year. Analysts say rising prices for food, gasoline and other household goods will affect how much […]

How your location can jack up online shopping prices Fox 10 News – Staff Report If you think you got a great deal during your holiday shopping, would you be mad if you bought the same item as a friend, but they actually paid much less than you did? A Wall Street Journal investigation says […]

For local retailers, are empty shelves a thing of the past? Justine Griffin/Sarasota Herald-Tribune Shoppers don’t have to be the first in line anymore to guarantee going home with the hottest gift for the holidays this year. With brick-and-mortar retailers shifting the way inventories are stocked and shipped to be more competitive with the likes […]

A few bright spots as holiday sales slow Justine Griffin/Sarasota Herald-Tribune Holiday sales slowed this year, leaving retailers with a lackluster season despite doorbuster promotions, extended hours and other incentives. Retail sales on popular gift items grew by 0.7 percent for the two months before Christmas, compared with a 2 percent growth in 2011, according […]

Returning gifts gets easier – and tougher Kelli B. Grant/MarketWatch First, some good news: A third of stores have loosened their return policies during the holiday season, giving shoppers until as late as mid-February to return purchases made in November and December. The bad news: Back in 2011, 37% of stores did so — and […]

Retailers anxious to salvage slow season Duane Marsteller/The Tennessean Retailers hope today begins a strong post-Christmas rush that puts a positive end on an otherwise lackluster holiday selling season. Retail sales in November and December so far have fallen short of initial expectations, despite a strong Black Friday start, reduced discounting and an extra weekend […]