Consumer spending is down, leaving stores with a lot of unsold inventory. So retailers are unloading those items to companies that specialize in liquidating merchandise, and business for inventory cleaners is booming. Joel Rose reports.
Stores are releasing January retail sales figures, and retailers are concerned about the impact huge bargains have had on consumer psyches. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports what other factors were also involved.
Facing declining sales, many makers of luxury brands have moved production to China to cut costs. Still, you may not find 'Made in China' on their products. Scott Tong explains why.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has delayed testing and certification requirements for lead content in children's toys and other products for a year. Tess Vigeland speaks with reporter Mitchell Hartman about the impacts of the delay.
Classic style seems to be one of the few things able to beat inflation and financial slumps. Marketplace's Eve Troeh discovers that the old things lying around her house can mean lots of new money.
The U.S. economy suffered its biggest slowdown in more than 25 years, according to last quarter's GDP figures. And with inventory piling up and consumers slow to buy new things, the outlook's not good. Mitchell Hartman reports.
It's hard to avoid Proctor and Gamble's global presence and scores of beauty products. But some of the company's brands are starting to lose out to cheaper generics. Janet Babin explores the consumers' perspective.
Even in a downtrodden economy, we could always count on a constant rise in consumer spending every year, if only a slight one. But retailers predict this year, Americans will actually consume less. Steve Henn reports.
Cell phone providers are wheeling out temporary towers to boost their networks for the Obama inauguration today. Companies expect millions more people to be on the phone or texting. Jeremy Hobson reports.
The office-products chain says women make most of the supply-purchasing decisions in the workplace, so it's going to focus its marketing on them. Mitchell Hartman reports.
