Holiday Central 2007
TRENDS
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Retailers opened earlier than ever on the day after Christmas on Wednesday and slashed prices with hopes of salvaging a holiday season that is falling short of already modest expectations.
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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.
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The falling dollar hurting Americans overseas, with CNBC's Steve Sedwick
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Three out of four American consumers plan to pay off their holiday shopping debt within three months, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Financial Services Roundtable.
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U.S. retailers may be touting their environmental-friendliness this year, but just about the only "green" in evidence for the holidays is in the usual Christmas decorations.
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.160x105.jpg?v=1314140155 "Retailers Slash Holiday Prices, But Will Consumers Bite?")
The turkey’s not even in the oven, but the annual game of chicken has begun. Consumers are waiting to see if retailers grow desperate and cut prices deeper than planned.
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More than your holiday at risk, with Richard Rushing, AirDefense chief security officer and CNBC's Trish Regan
WINNERS & LOSERS
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The holiday retail season was a gloomy one, but luckily it is time to say goodbye to 2007 and turn the page to 2008. Dana Telsey, chief research officer and retail analyst for the Telsey Advisory Group, shares her retail picks and pans for the new year.
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Consumers are still going strong, but it doesn't seem like retail stocks are following suit. John Morris, retail analyst at Wachovia Securities, and Patricia Edwards, of Wentworth, Hauser and Violich, share their insight.
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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.
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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. This year, it's Target that is struggling.
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U.S. online shoppers spent a record $733 million in a single day on "Cyber Monday," according to market research firm comScore.
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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.
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Across the nation, women over age 35 are increasingly rebelling against the suits and head-to-toe dressing of traditional department store labels like Liz Claiborne, Jones New York and the old-guard mall stores like Talbots and AnnTaylor. That's put sales of traditional women's fashions in a rut that has deepened over the past year.
WHAT'S HOT
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Black Friday has come and gone, but you might want to call today Black Friday: Part II as we usher in the last weekend before Christmas. I'm inside a Best Buy in the heart of Silicon Valley, where business has been more than brisk these last few weeks...
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Minireviews of products that, for one reason or another, never saw the light of day in this column. Who knows? Some of them might actually make great last-minute, unexpected Christmas presents.
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Gift cards are still at the top of everyone's wish list this holiday season, but growth is expected to slow dramatically from last year.
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So a week has passed since my first post on the drama surrounding the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray next generation format war. Hundreds of emails, though the pro Blu-ray, anti-Jim emails outnumbered the HD DVD side by better than ten to one. Not sure what message that sends, but maybe I angered the Blu-ray folks more than I satisfied the HD folks.
RELATED LINKS
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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.