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Tricks of the Trade

Retail at the rodeo means hats, boots and a whole lot more

by David Brancaccio and Alex Schroeder
Mar 19, 2025
At the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, shoppers can buy cow-handling hardware, pizza ovens, furniture — and of course boots and cowboy hats.
Joe Young of Heads or Tails Hats, right, teaches David Brancaccio what to look for in buying a cowboy hat.
Alex Schroeder/Marketplace
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Walmart's "alternative" businesses give megaretailer a boost

by Daniel Ackerman
Feb 20, 2025
Its quarterly report shows ad sales, membership income and its third-party marketplace expanded. Their margins may help keep store prices low.
Walmart has diversified its operations far beyond big-box retail.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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It's officially retail returns season

by Kristin Schwab
Dec 26, 2024
The growth of online shopping means returns may rise to $890 billion for 2024. Retailers, though, are trying to impose costs on the practice.
Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images
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After 40 years at Montana mall, manager prepares to say goodbye

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban
Dec 5, 2024
The Butte Plaza Mall is in its last holiday shopping season before new owners take over. "It's time to change," says manager Alana Ferko.
On Black Friday, "everybody hit their numbers," said Butte Plaza Mall manager Alana Ferko. New owners plan to make substantial changes at the property.
Kena Betancur/Getty Images
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To avoid raising prices, clothing brands cut back on quality

by Kristin Schwab
Dec 2, 2024
Shrinkflation is affecting clothing brands. Companies are attempting to balance quality with price for consumers.
Many shoppers are sacrificing quality for price when shopping for clothes this holiday season.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Black Friday deals hitting your inbox already? You're not alone.

by Caleigh Wells
Nov 4, 2024
We're barely out of Halloween, yet retailers are keen to get the holiday shopping season started.
Earlier Black Friday deals this year are partially in response to potential port strikes and partially go back to pandemic supply chain snarls.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
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Back-to-school shoppers have value at the top of their lists

by Savannah Peters
Aug 8, 2024
Brands are tasked with coaxing more inflation-weary parents into spending.
"Consumers might say, 'OK, I’m going to shop at a discount store when I might have previously shopped at a traditional big box store,'" says Claire Tassin, an analyst with Morning Consult.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Retail sales figures are flat but a deeper dive shows consumer resilience

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Jul 16, 2024
Spending in many sectors, like furniture and online shopping, was strong. Falling prices also depressed the top line numbers in some categories.
When you take out car sales and gas spending, consumers actually spent 0.8% more in June than in May.
PRImageFactory/iStock/Getty Images Plus
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Shoppers have been feeling pretty meh. But that could move the Fed to start cutting interest rates.

by Henry Epp
Jul 15, 2024
One wild card: back-to-school shopping.
Back-to-school shopping season has started really early this year.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Retail sales climbed to a higher-than-expected 0.7% in March

by Samantha Fields
Apr 15, 2024
Consumers are still spending, but that looks a little different now than it has the past few years.
Spending at nonstore retailers — like Temu or Amazon — rose 2.7% last month.
ArtistGNDphotography/Getty Images
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