Winter Holidays

While all the major retailers will be offering deals and discounts on Black Friday weekend, Dick's Sporting Goods plans to woo shoppers with an exciting social media promotion.

Walmart’s Thanksgiving weekend promotional strategy is taking a more digital, less promotional turn that may hurt sales but should lessen the scenes of customer chaos and conflict that find their way onto YouTube.

Experts and regular folks alike are puzzled by the uproar over Starbucks’ holiday cup design, the Associated Press reported. Even New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan sounded a curious note, saying "I don't think it's like Starbucks had the Christmas crib on their cups to begin with.” [Associated Press]

Strong back-to-school sales allowed Kohl's to upstage Macy's in the third quarter.

Kohl's reported that for the third quarter ended Oct. 31, same store sales increased 1%. It had net income of $120 million, or 63 cents per share, compared with net income of $142 million, or 70 cents per share, in the same period a year before. Revenue rose 1.2% to $4.43 billion.

Strong back-to-school sales allowed Kohl's to upstage Macy's in the third quarter.

Kohl's revenue rose a better-than expected 1.2% to $4.43 billion in the period ended Oct. 31. Same-store sales rose 1%. Earnings fell to $120 million, or 63 cents a share, from $142 million, or 70 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding a loss on the extinguishment of debt, adjusted per-share earnings were 75 cents a share, which also beat expectations.

Sears is going the private, members-only route this Black Friday in an effort to drive traffic to its stores.

For the first time ever, Sears will open all of its stores to select Shop Your Way members for a private night of shopping for many of its Thanksgiving/Black Friday doorbusters four days early. Sears will hold its "Members Private Night" in all stores on Nov. 22 from 6-9 p.m. While access to the event is by email or text invitation only, members can text the word "EXCLUSIVE" to 73277 to receive an invitation, while supplies last.

While all the major retailers will be offering deals and discounts on Black Friday weekend, Dick's Sporting Goods plans to woo shoppers with an exciting social media promotion.

Gift cards continue to grow in popularity – a fact especially noticeable now, during the holiday season. Retailers and consumers should be aware of problems gift cards can create – notably regarding money left unredeemed by card holders and what happens when an issuing company goes into bankruptcy.