Staff Writer

Retail reporter

A smart bidet sits in a bathroom at the McKechnie Family LIFE Home on the University Illinois campus in Champaign, Ill., Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette via AP, File)

Doctors share the best ways to get the most from a bidet

Bidets once were considered an oddity in American homes. But they’re becoming increasingly common as more people seek a hygienic and sustainable alternative to toilet paper or a hand managing certain physical conditions.

Shopping carts are positioned outside an Amazon Fresh grocery store in Warrington, Pa., Feb. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Amazon is closing all Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores

Amazon is closing almost all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations in days as it narrows its focus on food delivery and its grocery chain, Whole Foods Market.

Versace merchandise is on display at Saks Fifth Avenue on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Anne D'Innocenzio)

Saks’ bankruptcy filing creates uncertainty for iconic stores, suppliers and shoppers

An appeal for bankruptcy protection filing of the operator of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus has left the luxury department stores’ suppliers with unpaid bills and caused a rift with Amazon, one of Saks Global’s minority investors.

FILE- This April 21, 2018, file photo shows the Fannie Mae headquarters building in Washington. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)

Trump’s voice in a new Fannie Mae ad is generated by artificial intelligence, with his permission

What sounds like President Donald Trump narrating a new Fannie Mae ad actually is an AI-cloned voice reading text, according to a disclaimer in the video.

People walk by a shop on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in November as the holiday season kicked into gear

Shoppers increased their spending in November from October as holiday shopping kicked into full gear.Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in November, following a revised 0.1% decline October, according to the Commerce Department.

Saks Fifth Avenue holiday light show and window reveal on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Luxury retailer Saks seeks bankruptcy protection overwhelmed by debt

Luxury retailer Saks Global has filed for bankruptcy, preparing to reposition itself after obtaining about $1.75 billion in financing commitments.

This photo provided by Mattel Inc. shows the new autistic Barbie doll. (Mattel Inc. via AP)

Mattel adds an autistic Barbie to doll line devoted to showcasing diversity and inclusion

An autistic Barbie is joining Mattel’s line of fashion dolls that’s intended to celebrate diversity.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Google teams up with Walmart and other retailers to enable shopping within Gemini AI chatbot

Google is expanding the shopping features in its AI chatbot by teaming up with Walmart, Shopify, Wayfair and other big retailers to turn the Gemini app into a virtual merchant as well as an assistant.

Post-holiday shoppers pass a Christmas tree and festive display at Calef's Country Store, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, in Barrington, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

More thrifting and fewer returns, the early trends that defined shopping this holiday

The shopping rush leading up to Christmas is over and in its place, like every year, another has begun as millions of people hunt for post-holiday deals and get in line to return gifts that didn’t fit, or didn’t hit quite right.

Jenny Poole pushes a shopping cart at Kohl's on Black Friday, Jenny has shopped at this Kohls on Black Friday every year for the last 10 years, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Woodstock, Ga. (AP Photo/Megan Varner)

Cautious shoppers step up spending to start holiday season

Consumers stepped up gift giving during the first seven weeks of the holiday shopping season, yet uncertainty about the economy is making them more targeted in their buying.

Associated Press reporter Anne D'Innocenzio helps out a customer at Macy's flagship store, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Smile and spritz three times: What I learned working at a Macy’s perfume counter

December is a big month for fragrance sales in the U.S. Market research firm Circana says one-quarter of annual sales of high-end perfumes, colognes and other scented beauty products happen then.

Customers walk into Macy's flagship store, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Department stores try to distinguish themselves as beauty lovers turn to TikTok and Amazon

Competition among retailers for a slice of the $129 billion U.S. beauty and personal care market is fiercer than ever due to the ease of e-commerce and the advice shoppers seek on social media instead of in stores.

Maintenance technician Liz Cardenas completes a task on an electronics test platform at a training area in a Walmart distribution center Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Bentonville, Ark. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Walmart and other US companies want to build a pipeline of skilled tradespeople

As the number of skilled tradespeople dwindles in the U.S., Walmart is building up its own workforce to keep conveyor belts moving and refrigerated grocery cases cold.

Shoppers walk around the Somerset Collection mall, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Troy, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

US says price increases eased last month but data may be distorted and Americans aren’t feeling it

U.S. inflation slowed unexpectedly last month according to data that was delayed and likely distorted by the government shutdown.

Becca Mendoza and Tammi Hines look at products as shoppers browse through Kohl's department store for Black Friday deals, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Woodstock, Ga. (AP Photo/Megan Varner)

Retail sales unchanged in October hurt in part by a decline in auto sales

Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants were unchanged in October from September as consumers moderated their spending amid worries about higher prices and other economic uncertainties after splurging over the summer.

Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald to step down amid languishing sales in the US

Lululemon Athletica Inc, said Thursday that its CEO Calvin McDonald is stepping down effective Jan. 31 as the athletic wear maker wrestles with a year of disappointing sales.

Black Friday shoppers queue to enter FAO Schwarz in New York on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

One Tech Tip: Up your Christmas shopping game with AI tools

AI-powered shopping assistants have become a staple in online retail, making shopping easier and more convenient.

Black Friday Shoppers queue to enter Macy's flagship store in New York on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Macy’s posts surprise profit with overhaul under new CEO resonating with shoppers

Macy’s posted a surprise third-quarter profit and its strongest comparable sales in more than three years as an extensive overhaul of the 167-year-old New York department store begins to resonate with shoppers.

A man takes a photo of Rockefeller Center in front of Saks Fifth Avenue on Black Friday in New York on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

A look at the Thanksgiving shopping weekend and what’s next

The nation’s shoppers may feel gloomy about the economy, but they certainly were in the mood to shop over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend that wrapped up on Cyber Monday.

Shoppers browse for Black Friday deals at Atlantic Station outdoor mall, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Atlanta, Ga. (AP Photo/Megan Varner)

Shoppers scoured for deals online on Cyber Monday and delivered strong sales for retailers

Shoppers scoured for deals everything from electronics to clothing on Cyber Monday, delivering strong sales for online retailers and capping a five-day spending spree that kicked off on Thanksgiving.

Amazon's generative AI-powered shopping assistant, Rufus, appears on a computer monitor, Dec. 1, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

AI-assisted shopping is the talk of the holiday shopping season

Major retail chains and tech companies are offering new or updated artificial intelligence tools in time for the holiday shopping season.

Black Friday shoppers admire a Christmas LEGO set at the LEGO flagship store in New York on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Shoppers hit Black Friday sales with celebratory mood despite economic strain

The economic picture hasn’t looked very rosy. Hiring has been sluggish. Consumers have been hit with soaring meat prices. Layoffs are rippling through companies.

Abril Renteria, an Apple certified advisor, helps a customer check out after their purchase at a Best Buy store, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Black Friday arrives with solid momentum despite tariffs and economic uncertainty

Black Friday may no longer be the retail bacchanalia of years past, but the event still has enough enthusiasts to make it the biggest single shopping day in the U.S..

Best Buy ups sales outlook heading into holiday shopping ramp-up

Best Buy is raising its profit and sales expectations ahead of the holiday shopping season after a strong third quarter.

Clouds pass over the Walmart store, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Walmart raises profit expectations as more Americans hunt deals in sluggish economy

Walmart delivered another standout quarter, posting strong sales and profits that blew past Wall Street expectations as it wins over more cash-strapped Americans who have grown increasing anxious about the economy.

Shoppers walk towards a Target retail store, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Salem, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Quarterly profit slide at Target hints at a challenging holiday season for the retailer

Target’s third-quarter profit tumbled as the retailer struggles to lure shoppers that are being pressed by stubbornly high inflation.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon speaks at the Opportunity Summit Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Bentonville, Ark. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon announces his surprise retirement at age 59

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is planning to retire early next year and his successor has been named. The company made the surprise announcement on Friday about McMillion stepping down on Jan. 31.

Pfizer clinches deal for obesity drug developer Metsea after a bidding war with Novo Nordisk

Pfizer has signed a deal to purchase Metsera Inc., an obesity drugmaker in the development stage, after winning a bidding war against Novo Nordisk.

A shopper shops at a retail store in Arlington Heights, Ill., Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

National Retail Federation predicts first $1 trillion holiday shopping season

American shoppers are expected to spend more during this holiday shopping season than last year despite economic uncertainty and rising prices.

Amazon reports higher sales and earnings for 3Q, helped by its fast-growing web services business

Amazon posted higher fiscal third quarter profit and sales compared with a year ago, fueled by accelerating growth in its cloud computing business and strong spending by its customers looking for low prices at a time when inflation is resurging.

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