Author: Anne D’Innocenzio
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Fury and frustration over Target data breach
NEW YORK — Potential victims of credit card fraud tied to Target’s security breach said they had trouble contacting the discounter through its website and call centers. Angry Target customers expressed their displeasure in comments on the company’s Facebook page. Some even threatened to stop shopping at the store. Target’s CEO Gregg Steinhafel apologized through…
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Battle over shoppers heating up
NEW YORK – This holiday season, it’s Amazon vs. everyone else. The online giant has attracted customers from the likes of Wal-Mart and Best Buy with low prices and convenient shipping. Now, stores are fighting back and going head to head with Amazon as the contest for customers heats up during the busiest shopping period…
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Americans kick off 2-day holiday shopping marathon
Holiday shopping this year is a marathon, not a sprint. More than a dozen major retailers from Target to Toys R Us opened on Thanksgiving Day and planned to stay open through Black Friday, the traditional start to the holiday shopping season. As a result, crowds formed early and often throughout the two days. A…
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Wal-Mart to suppliers: Phase out 10 hazardous chemicals from your products
NEW YORK – Wal-Mart announced Thursday it will require its suppliers to phase out about 10 hazardous chemicals from personal care products, cosmetics and cleaning products sold in its stores. It will also require the suppliers to disclose chemicals in those products. The moves follow an announcement made by Procter & Gamble Co., the world’s…
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Wal-Mart’s first-quarter profit, sales disappoint
NEW YORK – The first few months of the year were tough for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The world’s largest retailer reported Thursday that its first-quarter profit edged up just slightly as the company struggled with a sales slump in its namesake business during the three-month period. The discounter also offered a quarterly profit outlook that…
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Her favorite travel companion: Mom
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by
When I was young, I learned a lot about travel from my mother. She taught me how and what to pack. She taught me to keep a travel diary. And most important, she taught me how to power-sightsee. ‘You never know when you’ll be back, ‘ my mother used to say as she and my…
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The nuts and bolts of Black Friday
NEW YORK — Ready. Set. Shop. The day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, kicks off the holiday shopping season. Each year, retailers open their doors early and offer shoppers deals of up to 70 percent off on everything from electronics to clothes. And shoppers typically turn out in droves. Before you head out to the…
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In a tough economy, old stigmas fall away
PARAMUS, N.J. — The Goodwill store in this middle-class New York suburb is buzzing on a recent weekend afternoon. A steady flow of shoppers comb through racks filled with second-hand clothes, shoes, blankets and dishes. A few years ago, opening a Goodwill store here wouldn’t have made sense. Paramus is one of the biggest ZIP…
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Shoppers spend a little more this season
NEW YORK • Holiday shoppers spent a little more this season, according to data released Monday, giving merchants some reason for cheer. The spending bounce means retailers managed to avoid a repeat of last year’s disaster even amid tight credit and double-digit unemployment. Profits should be healthier, too, because stores had a year to plan…
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Consumer confidence unexpectedly falls in September
NEW YORK — Concerns that consumers won’t help drive a speedy and strong economic recovery only escalated today after a widely watched barometer of confidence fell unexpectedly in September.The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence survey showed worries about job security seem to be offsetting any enthusiasm about rising home values and stocks.”Last year, consumers were shellshocked…