News Briefs

With online shopping continuing to gain traction, the majority of consumers are concerned with the security of their payment information.

A new survey from CardRates.com revealed that with 72% of online shoppers doing so to save time, 85% regularly inspect their credit card statements for unauthorized purchases. Nearly seven-in-10 (69%) consumers said they are concerned over fraud and identity theft when shopping online.

"The holiday season is known to be a peak time for credit card scams,” said Erica Sandberg, a consumer finance expert with CardRates.com. “With consumers shopping more than usual, it can be more of a hassle to notice any fraudulent charges and actively monitor credit card statements. Cybersecurity month in October is a great time for consumers to proactively change their passwords across online shopping accounts, remain vigilant of their credit card statements, and keep track of their purchases ahead of the busy online shopping season."

[READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Walmart, Target convert Prime Big Deal Days traffic]

The online shopper survey revealed that 67% of respondents can recall all the shopping platforms that have their credit card information saved, while 63% of online shoppers use different passwords across their online shopping accounts. More than half (56%) of consumers told CardRates.com they do not proactively update their passwords across shopping accounts every few months.

“The study shows that consumers are taking extra security measures for online shopping this holiday season, but more action needs to be taken,” said CardRates.com. “Consumers are aware of the risks and prioritize cybersecurity best practices when shopping online with their credit cards.”

Consumers are feeling festive during the final few months of 2024 — 95% will celebrate at least one of the four major holidays remaining in the year. 

That’s according to Numerator’s Q4 Holiday Preview, which also found that 87% of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate Thanksgiving, with 80% planning to shop in stores for the holiday. The top Thanksgiving purchases will be food (89%), non-alcoholic beverages (32%) and alcoholic beverages (31%). 

Christmas

Most (90%) consumers plan to celebrate Christmas, with 80% of celebrants planning to purchase gifts. Top planned purchases include gift cards (71%), apparel (55%) and toys or games (49%). 

In other findings, 44% of Christmas shoppers expect to split purchases evenly between in-store and online. 

 New Year’s Eve  

Sixty-three percent of all U.S. consumers plan to celebrate New Year’s Eve, with the holiday being more popular among Gen Z and millennials.  Food is the top purchase for New Year’s Eve (79% plan to buy), followed by alcoholic beverages (58%). Beer (59%) and champagne (56%) are the top choices for New Year’s Eve alcohol buyers.

Halloween

Fifty-nine percent of consumers will celebrate Halloween, with 60% planning to decorate their homes and 58% planning to hand out candy. Over half of shoppers expect to purchase their Halloween supplies from big box stores, followed by grocery or discount stores.

BuyBuy Baby is closing its fledgling brick-and-mortar operation and transforming to a digital-first brand.

In what it called a “new path forward,” the company said it was focusing all its energy on providing an “exceptional online shopping experience.” The retailer is holding going-out-of-business sales at its 10 physical stores, which will close by the end of this year.

“We understand this may be disappointing news, and we want all our customers to know this wasn't a choice we took lightly,” Buy Buy Baby said on its website. "The loyalty and support of our customers over the years have meant the world to us.”

In July 2023, BuyBuy Baby's intellectual property was sold for $15.5 million to Dream on Me, a New Jersey-based company that makes and sells a wide range of baby goods. The deal did not include BuyBuy Baby's 120 physical stores, which went dark. 

The company relaunched BuyBuy Baby in fall 2024, opening 11 stores in November. The brand’s brick-and-mortar comeback followed the launch of the company’s new website, which went live in October 2023.

Prior to Dream on Me, Buy Buy Baby was owned by Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2023.

Aldi’s new discount Thanksgiving basket is its lowest-priced holiday meal deal since 2019.

Throughout the Thanksgiving season, Aldi is offering a Thanksgiving-themed shopping list of fresh ingredients including a Butterball turkey with spices, gravy, rolls, mac & cheese, stuffing – plus the ingredients for cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.

According to the fast-growing discount grocer, the holiday deal enables customers to serve a full meal for less than $4.70 per person.

"Every day at Aldi, we are focused on finding ways to deliver the lowest possible prices for our customers – and this Thanksgiving is no different,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi. “With 25% of U.S households now shopping Aldi, we know grocery prices are still top of mind for customers. We worked hard this Thanksgiving to deliver the best value and quality products so everyone can enjoy a traditional meal with family and friends without having to scale back.”  

Discount giant Walmart is also providing a traditional holiday meal offer priced less than the national average. Through Tuesday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), customers can purchase Walmart’s discounted Thanksgiving meal, including turkey (priced $.88/lb.) and trimmings to desserts, for what the retailer says is less than $7 per person. 

[READ MORE: Walmart offers 'inflation-free' Thanksgiving meal under $7 a person]

Aldi operates more than 7,200 store locations around the world, including more than 2,200 stores in 38 U.S. states with over 45,000 associates. The company intends to open 800 new U.S. stores during the next five years.

Minnesota artist Adam Turman is opening his first-ever retail space at North America’s largest mall.

Open Nov. 1 through Dec. 30, the nearly 2,000-sq.-ft. space at Mall of America will feature dozens of new Adam Turman art and merchandise designs. Guests will be able to take home Adam Turman artwork in the form of original paintings and custom prints, new apparel, kitchenware, home décor, and more

"Adam Turman has been a long-time friend of the mall and we are very excited to feature his pop-up location,” said Adina Cohen, specialty leasing manager at Mall of America. “Guests have been able to enjoy Adam's art throughout Mall of America for years, as he has been a vibrant part of our history. We can’t wait for our visitors to experience and shop his creative work in a whole new way."

Additionally, Turman will be meeting with fans and signing artwork every Saturday from Nov. 30 through Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

“Opening my first ever retail store at Mall of America is a dream come true,” said Turman, who started his professional studio career in 2003. “Throughout the past decade, this iconic venue has held a special place in my journey as an artist through various projects including a mural, screen prints, and more. I can’t wait to share more of my art with a wider audience and connect with both my amazing fans and visitors from around the world.”

[READ MORE: Mall of America, Rent the Runway to host fall/winter pop-up]

At 5.6 million sq. ft., Mall of America, located in Bloomington, Minn., is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America with up to 520 world-class retail stores and restaurants, and several entertainment attractions.

eBay Ventures, the online marketplace giant’s venture capital arm, is expanding its investment in circular fashion start-ups.

eBay Ventures’ Circular Fashion Fund aims to help fashion start-ups scale circular solutions, from production to end-of-life, including rental and repair services. New for the 2025 cohort, eBay will reward one “Circular Fashion Innovator of the Year” with an extra investment of $300,000.

eBay is set to deliver a total investment of $1.2 million by the end of 2025 through the program, in addition to over 200 hours of mentoring and networking support for applicants from industry experts. 

Since it launched in the U.K. in 2022, the fund has helped 15 businesses scale their circular solutions, including The Seam, which allows businesses to offer garment care & repair services at scale to extend the life of clothes, and RCYCL, creators of the innovative at-home fashion recycling program for unwearable clothing. Now in its third year in the U.K., the Circular Fashion Fund is set to launch in the United States and Germany for the first time having successfully expanded to Australia last year.

[READ MORE: Guess launches online clothing recycling program]

"The Circular Fashion Fund is a catalyst for collaboration by combining the global scale and power of established companies like eBay with the creativity and innovation of nimble start-ups,” said Kirsty Keoghan, global general manager of fashion at eBay. “We’re not only helping to scale circular solutions but also bringing together the most knowledgeable and respected experts in the industry. Together, we’re making a positive impact on the circular economy and truly reshaping the future of fashion.”