Tagged: holiday shopping season

Business
7:41 am
Fri November 23, 2012

The holiday shopping rush is on in Michigan

Credit Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio
(file photo)

Michigan retailers are optimistic they will have a very good holiday shopping season this year.

Nationally, sales are expected to be up by four percent over last year.

Tom Scott with the Michigan Retailers Association says this is a critical five-week stretch for many store owners.

“It’s probably 20 to 25% of a retailers’ business of the year…depending on what kind of retailer they are,” says Scott,  “If they’re a toy store….it could be 50% or more.”

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Economy
9:55 am
Wed December 28, 2011

Online shoppers shifting focus

An Ann Arbor-based consumer research firm says there’s been a shift in people’s online shopping habits. 

Ann Arbor-based ForeSee asked more than eight thousand online shoppers about their satisfaction levels with 40 of the nation’s top web retailers.   ForeSee released its 7th annual Holiday E-Retail Satisfaction Index today.  

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Economy
4:01 pm
Sun December 25, 2011

Many unhappy returns: Michigan businesses prepared for another Christmas tradition

Credit (photo by Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio)
They looked so pretty under the tree.

The presents have all been opened and many will be heading back to the store.   

Returning or exchanging gifts is part of the American holiday shopping season tradition.  

But Patrick Bennett with the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Michigan warns if you plan to return a present you should know the store’s rules for returning or exchanging merchandise. 

“It’s important that consumers retain the original packaging if they plan on returning items.  Or if they receive something that they know in fact they are going to return it, don’t even open it. Take it back in its original condition," says Bennett.   

Bennett also advises people returning presents to see if the business charges a restocking fee. He says restocking fees are common for businesses that sell electronics.  

Bennett says many retailers have tightened their rules on accepting returned merchandise in recent years to crack down on fraud. 

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Economy
4:01 pm
Sun December 25, 2011

Michigan's holiday shopping season Part 2

Credit (photo by Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio)

 The next phase of the holiday shopping season will start Monday with 'After Christmas' sales.  

Tom Scott is with the Michigan Retailers Association.    He says most retailers will offer some extra incentives to get customers into their stores, especially ones who got ‘gift cards’ as presents.  

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Economy
1:44 pm
Fri December 23, 2011

Twas the day before the day before Christmas (and Michigan retailers are happy)

Credit (photo by Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio)
What's under your tree?

 This is turning into a very merry holiday shopping season for Michigan retailers.   

 The hard numbers are still coming in, but it appears early optimism for a strong Christmas shopping season is panning out.   

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