msnbc.com: Retail

For Black Friday, it's HDTVs and diapers

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:33:48 GMT

As stores prepare for hordes of Black Friday shoppers and mark down high-definition TVs and hot toys, they're also pushing deals on necessities like socks and diapers.

BlackFriday - Television - Shopping - Business - Consumer Goods and Services

Black Friday deals for popular retail stores

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:45:24 GMT

The race at the register is on as shoppers hunt for the best prices. Here's a selection of Black Friday deals for stores including Best Buy, Kmart, Macy's, Toys R Us and Walmart.

BlackFriday - Best Buy - Wal-Mart - toys-r-us - Kmart

Is Black Friday really worth the effort?

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:45:55 GMT

Shopping on Black Friday can be daunting, with massive crowds, pre-dawn start times and long checkout lines. Is it worth the effort? Here's a way to find out.

BlackFriday - Ethnicity - African - United States - Black Holes

NYT: Price war brews between Amazon, Wal-Mart

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:30:18 GMT

Ali had Frazier. Coke has Pepsi. The Yankees have the Red Sox. Now Wal-Mart, the mightiest retail giant in history, may have met its own worthy adversary: Amazon.com.

Wal-Mart - Amazon.com - Pepsi - Business - Allegedly Unethical Firms

ConsumerMan: The great rebate debate

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:10:44 GMT

A growing number of companies have made the switch from paper checks to prepaid plastic rebate cards. Of course, the companies love it. But for consumers, it’s a mixed bag.

Plastic - Paper - Business - Printing - Publishing and Printing

Sprint asked to drop ‘most dependable’ claim

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:05:19 GMT

A national advertising watchdog asked Sprint Nextel Corp. to drop its ads calling itself "America's most dependable 3G network."

Sprint Nextel - Business - Corporation - Microsoft - Palm

Consumer sentiment rises before Black Friday

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:59:22 GMT

Retailers heading into the traditional start of holiday shopping are facing consumers who are only a bit less gloomy than they were a year ago as they worry about a weak job market.

BlackFriday - Christmas and holiday season - Consumer Confidence Index - Consumer Information - Home

A toy hamster, holiday sales and the economy

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:26:48 GMT

In a world full of economic indicators, the best one during the holiday season may prove to be a furry toy hamster.

Christmas and holiday season - Economy - Economic indicator - Arts - Movies

Clothing sales fall in Nov., but online roars back

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:32:15 GMT

Cloud hangs over Black Friday

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:20:26 GMT

As the hours tick down to Black Friday, the most-hyped shopping day of the year, the big question is about safety more than spending after last year's trampling death at a Wal-Mart.

BlackFriday - Wal-Mart - Business - Allegedly Unethical Firms - Best Buy

Debt stress could be the Grinch this Christmas

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:04:48 GMT

A lot more Americans are feeling stressed out by debt this holiday season, raising the glum likelihood they'll behave like Scrooge rather than Santa.

Christmas - Christmas and holiday season - holiday - How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - People and Society

McDonald’s rolling out ‘green’ logo in Europe

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:45:32 GMT

McDonald's is going green — swapping its traditional red backdrop for a deep hunter green — to promote a more eco-friendly image in Europe.

McDonald - Environmentally friendly - Business - burger - Hospitality

Retailers seeing signs of a good ‘Black Friday’

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:58:21 GMT

When the holiday shopping season kicks off the day after Thanksgiving, retailers can expect to see millions of less frightened, but even more bargain-hungry customers.

Thanksgiving - BlackFriday - Christmas and holiday season - holiday - Retail

Holiday ‘pop-up’ stores are going upscale

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:59:12 GMT

Lionel Electric Trains has opened the first retail store in its 100-year history but plans to close the store after only two months as holiday "pop-up" stores go increasingly upscale.

retail - Business - Retail Trade - Shopping - Retailers

UPS sets new rates for 2010

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:33:58 GMT

UPS Inc., the world's largest shipping carrier, is hiking 2010 rates for ground packages by an average of 4.9 percent.

United Parcel Service - Business - Transportation and Logistics - United States - UPS

ConsumerMan: Clean clothes, stinky problem

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:08:27 GMT

When you buy a new washing machine, you don’t expect it to stink up your house. But that seems to be a common problem for people who own high-efficiency front-loading washers.

Washing machine - Business - Industrial Goods and Services - Machinery and Tools - Cleaning Equipment

Rain may put pumpkin pie in peril

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:59:17 GMT

Nestle — which sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the U.S. — says poor weather hurt its harvest, creating a potential shortage of its Libby's pumpkin pie products through the holidays.

Pumpkin pie - Fruit and Vegetable - Pumpkin - Libby - Home

The Donald's new gig: Selling vitamins

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:33:31 GMT

Donald Trump is synonymous with luxury high-rises, his TV show and his distinctive hairstyle. Now he's putting his name on a vitamin and health products business.

Donald Trump - Television - Business - Health - Nutrition

10 most dangerous toys of 2009

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:20:47 GMT

A foam rocket launcher, children's book and Batman and Wolverine action figures are among the most dangerous toys on store shelves, according to a consumer watchdog group.

Action figure - Batman - Wolverine - Shopping - Toys

McDonald's redesign aims for European lounge

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:09:36 GMT

A McDonald's in downtown Manhattan became the first in the U.S. to undergo a sleek, European-style makeover, complete with with outlets for plugging in laptops, upholstered vinyl chairs, subdued lighting and employees with all-black uniforms.

McDonald - United States - Manhattan - Business - US

Kellogg warns: Brace for an Eggo shortage

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:24:16 GMT

Dear Kellogg: Leggo my Eggo!

Eggo - Kellogg Company - Health - Conditions and Diseases - Business

Penney to stop publishing ‘big book’ catalogs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:34:12 GMT

J.C. Penney will stop publishing its twice-yearly "big book" catalogs, now that customers increasingly shop online.

J. C. Penney - Business - JcPenney - Business and Economy - Services

Senators blast sites for scamming shoppers

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:10:46 GMT

With Cyber Monday, the unofficial start of the Internet holiday shopping season nearing, a Senate committee Tuesday condemned three online companies, saying they are tricking consumers into signing up for subscription services they don't want.

Christmas and holiday season - Cyber Monday - United States Senate - United States - Government

Big companies party like it’s 2009

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:32:34 GMT

Some of the nation’s large companies — and particularly those that have received government funding —are reining in their 2009 holiday party plans.

Government - Parties - Politics - Society and Culture - Shopping

Coca-Cola changing look of juice packaging

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:28:20 GMT

Coca-Cola Co. is unveiling new packaging for half of its worldwide juice volume that borrows from staple brand Minute Maid to create a more uniform look highlighting fruit.

Coca-Cola Company - Minute Maid - Soft drink - Business - Coca-Cola

Wal-Mart confirms some Black Friday deals

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:47:48 GMT

Wal-Mart Stores is confirming some of the deals it will be push to draw crowds for the day after Thanksgiving.

BlackFriday - Thanksgiving - Wal-Mart - holiday - Business

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