Seasonal

Did a last-minute rush make for stronger holiday sales than many — including the National Retail Federation — had expected?

That’s the way it looks based on the MasterCard Spending Pulse report, which found that sales (excluding auto and gas) increased 7.9% during the holiday season, led by double-digit gains in e-commerce, women’s apparel and furniture.

The SpendingPulse report, released on Monday, December 28, looked at U.S. sales trends across cards, cash and checks from Black Friday to Christmas Eve.

Teen retailer rue21 is collaborating with a youth nonprofit to make a positive impact on the lives of its customers.

The company announced it is partnering with Together We Rise, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the way youth navigate through the foster care system in America. The collaboration is a new addition to rue21’s philanthropy initiative, rueGIVESback.

The holiday season got off to a horrible start at Bed Bath & Beyond and things went downhill from there, judging from the industry leader’s uncharacteristic and concerning profit warning.

The company badly missed its third quarter sales and profit forecast for a period that included most of Thanksgiving weekend, and said its same-store sales for the fourth quarter were likely to increase 1%.

The holiday season got off to a horrible start at Bed Bath & Beyond and things went downhill from there, judging from the industry leader's uncharacteristic and concerning profit warning.

Customers searching for last-minute holiday gifts on the Internet may come up empty-handed.

According to data from the Adobe Digital Index, on Monday, Dec. 21, the overall out-of-stock rate for e-commerce sites was 14%. This ties the online out-of-stock rate for Cyber Monday (Nov. 30) and means that more in one in 10 items displayed on retailers’ e-commerce sites was unavailable for customers who attempted to make a purchase.

With 2016 upon us, many employers find themselves nervously awaiting what election-year politics might bring to their doorsteps. Retailers and restaurant operators, more than ever, have been thrust front and center into the political landscape, with labor issues at the top of candidate's agendas as well as the subject of numerous ballot issues at the state and local level. As a result, the business models and labor practices of entry-level employers are being evaluated by the public in much the same way the candidates are.

Specialty gift retailer Harry & David is taking a visual and social approach to a holiday promotion.

Harry & David is hosting an interactive social media campaign called #TastetheHolidays through Dec. 31. Consumers who sign up for the campaign online and follow Harry & David on Instagram and/or Twitter can win a variety of prizes that include gift cards and baskets.

National Fetch It Day is the name PetSmart has given an online promotion with an across the board discount to incentivizes shoppers to pick up their order in store.