Aug 17 July retail sales were flat, as customers weather inflation By Paul Wiseman, Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press The pace of sales at U.S. retailers was unchanged last month as persistently high inflation and rising interest rates forced many households to spend more cautiously. Continue reading
Jan 14 December retail sales slide 1.9 percent amid shortages, omicron By Associated Press Omicron was identified by the World Health Organization in late November, and the December report from the Commerce Department is the first to capture some of its effect on consumer behavior. Continue reading
Nov 16 Americans elevated retail spending by 1.7 percent last month By Christopher S. Rugaber, Associated Press Solid hiring, strong pay raises, and healthy savings for many households are underpinning robust spending. Americans are also still buying more cars, furniture, and other goods than they did before the pandemic. Continue reading
Nov 27 Virus keeps Black Friday crowds thin as shoppers shift online By Associated Press The raging coronavirus pandemic kept crowds thin at malls and stores across the country on Black Friday, but a surge in online shopping offered a beacon of hope for struggling retailers after months of slumping sales and businesses toppling into… Continue reading
Aug 03 Retail continues to falter as Lord & Taylor seeks bankruptcy By Associated Press The company last year, before the emergence of coronavirus, sold its 11-story flagship building on New York’s Fifth Avenue which it's owned for more than a century. Continue reading
May 21 Watch 7:11 How the pandemic has pushed U.S. retail toward the brink of collapse By Paul Solman For more than two months, the toll of unemployment in the U.S. has grown each week. The retail sector, which was already struggling before the pandemic, is among the hardest hit, with stores closed or at reduced capacity and consumers… Continue watching
May 04 J.Crew files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as pandemic chokes retail By Associated Press More retail bankruptcies are expected in coming weeks with the doors of thousands of stores still locked. Continue reading
Apr 15 With commerce frozen, retail sales plunge unprecedented 8.7 percent By Associated Press The deterioration of sales far outpaces the previous record decline of 3.9% that took place during the depths of the Great Recession in November 2008. Continue reading
Mar 17 Panic buying leaves retailers scrambling to restock By Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press Grocers big and small are hiring more workers, paying overtime and limiting purchases on certain high demand items as they scramble to restock shelves that have been wiped out by panic shopping in response to the global viral pandemic. Continue reading
Oct 16 U.S. retail sales dip 0.3 percent in September By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press Retail sales dropped in September by the largest amount in seven months, possibly signaling that rising trade tensions and turbulent markets are having an impact on consumer spending. Continue reading