http://www.mail.com/subjects/12004-holiday-shopping.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.29/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/12004-holiday-shopping.html http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/2071196-disney-drops-bid-to-trademark-day-dead.html SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Disney has dropped an effort to trademark "Dia de los Muertos," the name of the traditional "Day of the Dead" holiday celebrated by millions in Mexico and the U.S. The company announced Tuesday that it was withdrawing a trademark request it made on May 1 to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application prompted online crit... Wed, 08 May 2013 14:36:44 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/2071196-disney-drops-bid-to-trademark-day-dead.html 2013-05-08T14:36:44Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1915572-transunion-late-auto-loan-payments-rose-4q.html LOS ANGELES (AP) — More Americans fell behind on their auto loan payments in the last three months of 2012, a time of the year when some borrowers' financial obligations temporarily take a backseat to spending on holiday shopping. Beyond the seasonal increase, the late-payment rate on auto loans declined on an annual basis and remained near the lowest poi... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 05:19:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1915572-transunion-late-auto-loan-payments-rose-4q.html 2013-02-26T05:19:35Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1825208-fed-survey-us-economy-picked-up-year.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Holiday shopping, strong auto sales and a recovering housing market helped boost the U.S. economy from the middle of November through early January, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. The Fed said 12 of its regional banking districts reported "modest or moderate" growth in the final weeks of 2012. Of those, only St... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:33:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1825208-fed-survey-us-economy-picked-up-year.html 2013-01-16T20:33:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1821744-us-retail-sales-rose-05-percent-december.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers increased their spending at retail businesses in December, buying more autos, furniture and clothing. Steady job growth and lower gas prices kept consumers shopping for the holidays, despite worries about potentially tax increases. Retail sales rose 0.5 percent in December from November, the Commerce Department said Tuesda... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:31:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1821744-us-retail-sales-rose-05-percent-december.html 2013-01-15T16:31:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1814470-microsoft-exited-gadget-prematurely.html LAS VEGAS (AP) — Microsoft may have relinquished its starring role in America's gaudiest gadget show a year too early. After 13 straight years in the spotlight, Microsoft's decision to scale back its presence at this week's International CES deprived the software maker of a prime opportunity to explain and promote a new generation of redesigned computers ... Fri, 11 Jan 2013 22:50:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1814470-microsoft-exited-gadget-prematurely.html 2013-01-11T22:50:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1806848-conn-grants-500k-lost-business-newtown.html HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — For Vito Kala, owner of an Italian restaurant not far from a street leading to the grade school in Newtown where 20 children and six educators were shot dead last month, the murders were not only emotionally draining, but also financially. Roads in the area were initially clogged with police cars and ambulances, then by TV satellite... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1806848-conn-grants-500k-lost-business-newtown.html 2013-01-08T22:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1804888-ces-unveils-big-tvs-with-ultra-high-definition.html LAS VEGAS (AP) — The race to make TVs larger and larger has created a colossal problem for manufacturers: As screens grow, picture quality worsens — unless the viewer moves farther away from the screen. The issue is playing out in cozy dens and family rooms around the world. To get the full benefit of a large high-definition screen, viewers must move back... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 03:09:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1804888-ces-unveils-big-tvs-with-ultra-high-definition.html 2013-01-08T03:09:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1797650-retailers-report-higher-december-sales.html NEW YORK (AP) — A last-minute surge in spending saved the holiday shopping season. Major retailers including Costco, Gap and Nordstrom on Thursday reported better-than-expected revenue in December. That comes as a relief for stores, which can make up to 40 percent of their annual revenue in the last two months of the year. Americans sp... Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1797650-retailers-report-higher-december-sales.html 2013-01-03T19:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1797452-macys-key-revenue-figure-rises-december.html CINCINNATI (AP) — Macy's said Thursday that revenue in stores open at least one year rose 4.1 in December, edging past Wall Street estimates. But the figure grew less than the company expected during the combined two-month November and December period, the key holiday shopping months, and Macy's lowered its fourth-quarter guidance. The department store ch... Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:22:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1797452-macys-key-revenue-figure-rises-december.html 2013-01-03T14:22:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1784144-correction-vatican-christmas-shopping-story.html VATICAN CITY (AP) — In a story Dec. 23 about the Vatican's tax-free department store, The Associated Press erroneously reported that online cigar retailer www.bestcigarprices.com sells Cuban Montecristo No. 3 cigars. The company sells Montecristos made in the Dominican Republic. A corrected version of the story is below: Ho Ho Holy Discount: Vatican tax-f... Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:28:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1784144-correction-vatican-christmas-shopping-story.html 2012-12-28T14:28:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1788282-us-consumers-lose-confidence-fiscal-cliff-nears.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers peering over the "fiscal cliff" don't like what they see. Fears of sharp tax increases and government spending cuts set to take effect next week sent consumer confidence tumbling in December to its lowest level since August. The Conference Board said Thursday that its consumer confidence index fell for the second straight ... Thu, 27 Dec 2012 20:11:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1788282-us-consumers-lose-confidence-fiscal-cliff-nears.html 2012-12-27T20:11:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1787524-stores-to-week-christmas-sales.html Bargain-hungry Americans will need to go on a post-Christmas spending binge to salvage this holiday shopping season. Despite the huge discounts and other incentives that stores offered leading up to Christmas, U.S. holiday sales so far this year have been the weakest since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. So stores now ar... Wed, 26 Dec 2012 21:28:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1787524-stores-to-week-christmas-sales.html 2012-12-26T21:28:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1786628-shoppers-disappoint-retailers-this-holiday-season.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. holiday sales so far this year have been the weakest since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. That puts pressure on stores that now hope for a post-Christmas burst of spending. This year's holiday season was marred by bad weather and uncertainty about the economy in the face of possible tax hikes and spending cuts early ... Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:15:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1786628-shoppers-disappoint-retailers-this-holiday-season.html 2012-12-26T18:15:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1787098-stocks-edge-higher-traders-return-holiday.html NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks opened modestly higher on Wall Street Wednesday as traders returned from the Christmas holiday. Trading was quiet. Markets in Europe were still closed. Traders were also watching to see if a budget agreement materializes in Washington. President Barack Obama cut short his Christmas vacation in Hawaii and was returning to Washington ... Wed, 26 Dec 2012 14:27:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1787098-stocks-edge-higher-traders-return-holiday.html 2012-12-26T14:27:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1785620-shoppers-bigger-sales-smaller-crowds.html NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers who waited until the final days before Christmas were rewarded with big bargains and lighter crowds. But their last-minute deal hunting may hurt stores. Although fresh data on the holiday shopping season won't be available until Christmas, analysts expect growth from last year to be modest. Several factors have dampened shoppers' ... Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:51:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1785620-shoppers-bigger-sales-smaller-crowds.html 2012-12-24T19:51:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1784532-subdued-mood-holiday-shopping-weekend.html ATLANTA (AP) — Christmas shoppers thronged malls and pounced on discounts but apparently spent less this year, their spirits dampened by concerns about the economy and the aftermath of shootings and storms. Talk about more than just the usual job worries to cloud the mood: Confidence among U.S. consumers dipped to its lowest point in December since July a... Mon, 24 Dec 2012 13:04:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1784532-subdued-mood-holiday-shopping-weekend.html 2012-12-24T13:04:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1785194-dakar-mosque-lit-up-christmas-senegal.html DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — After prayers at the mosque, Ibrahim Lo is off to do some last-minute Christmas shopping. Soon he is eyeing the rows of dolls wrapped in plastic bags on a wooden table as he searches for gifts for his four children. A bouquet of inflatable Santa toys tied to a nearby tree bobs in the air at this outdoor market in the seaside capital ... Mon, 24 Dec 2012 10:46:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1785194-dakar-mosque-lit-up-christmas-senegal.html 2012-12-24T10:46:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1783190-christmas-slowly-to-austerity-hit-europe.html PARIS (AP) — Across Europe, holiday "shoppers" this season are doing more browsing than buying. Retailers remain hopeful for a last-minute burst of Christmas consumerism, and some governments are encouraging it by allowing stores to open on Sunday. But with economies across the region slowing and unemployment soaring, analysts say holiday spending in Euro... Sat, 22 Dec 2012 06:35:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1783190-christmas-slowly-to-austerity-hit-europe.html 2012-12-22T06:35:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1780900-its-all-hands-on-deck-final-retail-push.html FREEPORT, Maine (AP) — With the final retail push under way, L.L. Bean CEO Chris McCormick is playing Santa's helper against a backdrop of conveyor belts and beeping front-end loaders as he boxes up slippers and shirts. But there's little time to reflect on the holiday cheer those gifts will bring because he's busy concentrating to make sure no shipments go astray. ... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:09:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1780900-its-all-hands-on-deck-final-retail-push.html 2012-12-21T14:09:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1780494-stores-brace-snow-final-shopping-days.html NEW YORK (AP) — Midwesterners aren't the only ones who could get slammed by the storm that's expected to bring heavy snow, winds and rain to the middle of the country over the next couple of days. Stores could get hit too. With sales during the holiday shopping season disappointing so far, the nation's retailers are depending even more on these final days... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:53:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1780494-stores-brace-snow-final-shopping-days.html 2012-12-21T00:53:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1777320-discounts-abound-stores-try-to-salvage-season.html NEW YORK (AP) — When it comes to fat holiday discounts, better late than never. This holiday shopping season, many stores haven't been offering the same blockbuster deals as they did last year. Instead, they've dangled offers of free shipping and no-fee layaways to lure shoppers. But during the final weekend before Christmas, shoppers ... Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:00:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1777320-discounts-abound-stores-try-to-salvage-season.html 2012-12-19T22:00:00Z