The upcoming Christmas season is supposed to be tough going for retail, analysts have said. ...more

November 6, 2009

Chain stores are heading into the holiday season with more optimism. ...more

November 5, 2009

Just a couple of weeks after the close of holiday spending, Wall Street is starting to forecast the financial carnage that retail stores will likely report soon. ...more

January 6, 2009

Retailers are suffering through one of the most difficult holiday seasons in years, slashing prices by 70 percent and 80 percent and offering other deals in a desperate effort to ring up more sales. ...more

December 24, 2008

Online retailers are ramping up heavy-duty deals to turn skittish shoppers into "Cyber Monday" spenders. ...more

December 1, 2008

Online retailers are ramping up heavy-duty deals to turn skittish shoppers into buyers during the crucial Thanksgiving weekend and "Cyber Monday" - but even so, online sales are expected to be fairly flat after years of strong growth. ...more

November 30, 2008

Charles Moriarty's pickup hasn't seen a full tank of gas since he bought it in March. ...more

October 14, 2008

Who knew prepaid gas cards could emerge as this year's hot holiday gift? That's possible, as a third of Americans in all income brackets plan to cut back their holiday spending, even Americans who make more than $100,000 a year, according to research by Nielsen Co. ...more

October 10, 2008

It could be a glum holiday season for retailers because shoppers are expected to keep a lid on how much they spend, the National Retail Federation predicts. This week, the industry group said it forecasts holiday spending to grow by just 2.2 percent this year over last year to a total of $470.4 billion. While still an increase, the growth rate would be well below the recent average of 4.4 percent annual holiday spending growth. ...more

September 24, 2008

SEBRING — Riverside Bank has announced a sweepstakes in which winners will have one month's mortgage or rent paid for by the bank. The contest is created in response to a slumping economy at a time when most households are feeling the results of holiday spending. "We understand that many people in the home towns we serve are feeling the pinch of the difficult economy. We thought by presenting this sweepstakes, we could ease their pain a little," said John Williams, regional president in Highlands, Polk and Okeechobee counties. "By eliminating the responsibility of one month's mortgage or rent payment, winners can use their funds toward paying off other bills or whatever else they choose." ...more

January 27, 2008