Winter Holidays

Naperville, Ill. – Count OfficeMax as the latest in a growing list of retailers opening its doors at 8 p.m. local time Thanksgiving night (as permitted by law). Online Black Friday discounts at OfficeMax.com start at 12:01 a.m. EST Thanksgiving morning.

The OfficeMax Black Friday shopping event will take place for three days from Thursday, Nov. 28 to Saturday, Nov. 30 in stores and at OfficeMax.com.

New Canaan, Conn. -- Continuing a two-year slide in retail spending momentum, American shoppers will generate only a lackluster 2.9% rise in holiday sales, according to Customer Growth Partners’ 13th Annual Holiday Forecast. The CPG report paints a scenario that is decidedly less cheery than some of the other holiday forecasts that have been released to date.

By Craig Johnson, president, Customer Growth Partners

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us is expanding its point-based Rewards “R” Us loyalty program as it gears up for one of the most competitive holiday seasons in years. The added incentives include a first-ever, private pre-Black Friday incentive.

A decrease in same-store sales in the consumer electronics and computing and wireless categories at Hhgregg, partially offset by an increase in the appliance and home products categories, resulted in a comparable-store sales decrease of 6.2% for the second quarter ended Sept. 30.

The appliance category comparable-store sales increase was driven by an increase in the average selling price. The home products category comparable-store sales increase was primarily a result of sales from the introduction of furniture and fitness equipment.

OfficeMax has joined the growing list of retailers that plan on opening most of its stores at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving, ahead of Black Friday. The office supplies, technology and business services retailer will entice consumers with doorbuster deals and significant Black Friday savings at OfficeMax.com starting at 12:01 a.m. EST Thanksgiving morning.

The OfficeMax Black Friday shopping event will run through Saturday, Nov. 30, in stores and online.

By James McCandless and Kenneth Katz,  X Team International

The recent government shutdown has analysts scrambling to determine how much damage was done to the national economy. From a retail perspective, understanding the scale and scope of the shutdown requires a more thorough understanding of the issues at play; including a closer look at how retailers responded and a breakdown of how the lingering effects of the partial government closure may impact the holiday sales season.

The ripple effect on retail

New York -- Shoppers feel that they get a better retail experience online than in-store, including better service, more perks and rewards, and the ability to make smarter purchasing decisions, according to shopping behavior and retail trends firm WSL.  

San Francisco – PBTeen, a Williams-Sonoma retail brand, will open a new store in Huntington, N.Y., on Nov. 7. It will be the first PBTeen location on Long Island, the 16th in the U.S., and also the first combined location of PBTeen, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, with pass-through access to all three stores.

Beloit, Wis. – FatWallet.com is launching its 2013 annual Black Friday Deal Finder online tool and mobile app. The Deal Finder is already featuring multiple Thanksgiving and Black Friday ads from top stores, including Macy's, Radio Shack, Lowe's and Target.

New and improved features to this year's Black Friday Deal Finder include: