Seasonal

New York -- A Tuesday report by the Wall Street Journal said that Home Depot and Lowe’s Cos. had deployed hundreds of truckloads of storm-recovery inventory Tuesday into areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Commerce, Mich. -- Health and wellness retailer LaVida Massage said Tuesday it will have opened at least 13 new franchised units before the end of 2012. Another eight are slated to open in early 2013.

LaVida currently operates 45 centers nationwide. 

Our rapid expansion continues to yield strong results for LaVida, despite a struggling economy,” said Evan Kaltschmidt, COO.

The new centers are located in California, Georgia, Illinois (2), Michigan (3), New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

New York — The offices of Chain Store Age will be closed Monday evening and Tuesday due to Hurricane Sandy.

We hope that you, your friends and family will remain safe during this storm.

San Antonio -- Consumers plan to buy more gifts this year, according to a recent survey commissioned by USAA and released Monday. The fourth annual USAA holiday spending survey indicated that consumer sentiment toward holiday budgeting has become more positive in 2012 when compared to 2011 (53% versus 45%).

Grapevine, Texas -- GameStop Corp. announced Friday it has unveiled a new store concept called GameStop Kids and will open 80 holiday stores in U.S. malls.

GameStop Kids stores will feature an assortment of the most popular video games and accessories, toy brands and collectibles, showcased in temporary mall spaces.

The first GameStop Kids location opened Friday at the Grapevine Mills Mall in Grapevine, Texas, with all other locations opening in the coming days and weeks, according to the company.

By Mark Putnam

Perhaps no time of year epitomizes the evolving trend of the integrated consumer buying experience more than the holiday season. Buyers are quickly realizing that rather than spending hundreds on gifts destined to be quietly returned come January 2013, the most efficient use of their money centers on gift cards and other prepaid methods that offer the recipients flexibility and choice. 

Retailers spend months developing smart, effective strategies across their in-store, Web and mobile channels each holiday season. But social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can be just as powerful in getting the message out to shoppers in the days leading up to Christmas.

New York -- Consumers are expected to spend an average of $582 on holiday shopping this season, and 23% plan to spend more than $750, according to a survey by Accenture. And half of consumers (52%) expect to increase their spending by $250 or more.