A winter storm that blasted the Midwest and Northeast caused store traffic to fall last week just as retailers headed into the crucial final days of the holiday shopping season, according to data released Wednesday.

More U.S. consumers are planning to spend less this holiday season than a year ago, according to a survey released Tuesday that adds a fresh note of caution to what is shaping up to be a ho-hum holiday shopping season.

U.S. travel over the Christmas and New Year's holidays will rise just 0.7 percent over last year, the slowest rate of growth in five years amid soaring fuel prices, AAA said on Monday.

Competition among videogame console makers is getting rougher as the holiday season goes on. Tony Gikas, analyst at Piper Jaffray, thinks one particular company is going to prevail in the sales war. Click to see his stock pick.

Last holiday shopping season, Wal-Mart was struggling to get sales on track as lower-income shoppers snubbed its efforts to imitate smaller rival Target by stocking its stores with trendy but cheap products.

U.S. online shoppers spent a record $733 million in a single day on "Cyber Monday," according to market research firm comScore.

Shares of retailers' stocks sank on Monday, after consumers swarmed stores on "Black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving, but focused on hunting for discounts.

Discounters, department stores and chains that sell electronics and teen fashions lured big crowds over the weekend as the holiday shopping season got off to a strong start.

The lure of bargains trumped economic concerns at the start of the holiday shopping season. Retailers  logged sales that were up significantly from a year ago.

The annual shopping frenzy kicked off Friday with crowds of shoppers, many braving cold temperatures, hoping to snag bargains.  CNBC checked in with several top retail executives to see how things were shaping up.

It's not exactly like following the weather or sports, but the holiday shopping season still draws it share of prognostications -- whether it's sales forecasts ot what's-hot lists. Here's a need-to-know guide for cnsumers and investors alike.

For those who opted to stay at home on Black Friday, rather than brave the crowds, there’s good news: there will be plenty of bargains online this year.

The unofficial start to the holiday shopping season is just around the corner and Dev Shapiro has left nothing to chance. The Dallas resident and veteran bargain hunter has spent the last three weeks developing a plan of attack for Black Friday sales, the day after Thanksgiving when retailers across the country slash prices on everything from flat screen TV’s to the hottest Christmas toys.

Shop carefully! It's good advice not only for the consumer, but for the investor. Piper Jaffray retail analyst Mitchell Kaiser tells CNBC that investors should be especially selective about retail stocks these days.

Everyone has heard predictions of a tapped-out consumer. And though they haven't materialized in the past, this time is likely to be different.