With sales of more discretionary items such as accessories and jewelry picking up, Bloomingdale's CEO Michael Gould is hopeful that it will be a "very good December."
Stocks End Lower Amid Fed Taper Talk; Dow, S&P Briefly Hit Fresh Highs
Consumer Nation
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Hoping to increase sales and traffic in their restaurants, fast-food and fast-casual operators are cranking up the menu innovation to produce items that stray from the gastronomic norm.
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Big Deals Drive Cyber Monday Sales Up 5%
Posted By: Christina Cheddar Berk
Sales were robust on Cyber Monday, as retailers dangled free shipping and other offers in front of bargain-hungry consumers.
Christina Cheddar-Berk: Consumer Nation
Posted By: Christina Cheddar Berk
It wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball last year to predict that consumer spending would be under intense pressure in 2009. But as we look to 2010, there are some conflicting signals about how the coming year will shape up.
Blue Nile CEO: 'We're Having the Best Cyber Monday Ever'
Posted By: Christina Cheddar Berk
Source: bluenile.com
It looks like the holidays will be happy at Blue Nile.
In an interview on CNBC, Blue Nile President and CEO Diane Irvine said the online jewlery retailer is having its "best post-Thanksgiving ever."
"Today looks to be our best Cyber Monday ever," Irvine said. "So we're setting records all of the days of the weekend. We've exceeded our expectations, and I think what you're seeing is that consumers are coming online and seeing the convenience and the value."
(To hear the full interview with Blue Nile CEO Diane Irvine, click here.)
In the days following Thanksgiving, Blue Nile saw an increase in transactions valued at more than $20,000, Irvine said. She added that the biggest single transaction was the purchase of a 5-carat diamond for just under $100,000.
Cyber Monday: The Last Vestige of Dotcom Hype
Posted By: Christina Cheddar Berk
Is Cyber Monday the last vestige of dotcom hype?
Diving Partridge Demand Can't Keep Lid on '12 Days' Cost
Posted By: Krystina Gustafson
The cost of buying the items from the classic "12 Days of Christmas" song increased by its smallest percentage in seven years in 2009, despite sharp rises in the price of gold and a minimum wage hike for the Eight Maids-a-Milking, according to PNC Bank's annual Christmas Price Index.
Longer Lines, Fuller Carts This Black Friday
Posted By: Christina Cheddar Berk
By all accounts, the holiday season appears to be off to a robust start, with lines longer and carts fuller than a year ago, but a key question remains: What will happen after the holiday madness fades?
EA Sports Hopes to Pump Up Sales Through Pop-Up Locations
Posted By: Krystina Gustafson
With commercial real estate values down 37 percent compared with one year ago, a new industry is jumping in on the pop-up location trend.
Consumers Catching the Holiday Spirit
Posted By: Christina Cheddar Berk
Consumers seem to be building momentum heading into the holiday shopping season.
Blue Jeans Expected to See Another Green Christmas
Posted By: Krystina Gustafson
Trying to guess your wife's jean size this holiday will probably get you into even more trouble than if you come home empty-handed.
About Consumer Nation
From the products to the pitches to the people who buy them, we are a Consumer Nation. This blog focuses on all things consumer, taking the pulse of the attitudes that shape purchasing decisions, and providing insights that will help keep marketers, entrepreneurs and investors up-to-date on where trends are heading.
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Christina Cheddar Berk is editor of CNBC.com's Consumer Nation and chief trend spotter.
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Maxim Group upgraded shares of JC Penney to buy and slapping a $27 price target on the stock. Rick Snyder, Maxim Group and William Frohnhoefer, BTIG, discuss.