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Target has announced that it will offer discounts on more than 1,000 toys at its stores and online for the upcoming gift-giving season. Markdowns are to begin in the coming weeks. Discounts are expected on such licensed items as Toy Story 3 Andy's Toys gift pack, Kung Zhu Hamsters, Barbie Video Girl, LEGO Harry Potter Hagrid's Hut and others. In addition, shoppers who use a Target credit card on nearly all purchases will receive an additional 5 percent off. "From Nerf Stampede and Sing-a-ma-jigs to exclusive Toy Story 3 gift packs, Target features the hottest toys and must-have brands

This Halloween is the third in a row for which marketers and retailers are playing up discounts, deals and bargains rather than goblins, ghosts and vampires.

Discount clothing seller Ross Stores Inc. continued to benefit from the down economy: its sales rose 6 percent in the five weeks ended Oct. 2. Same store sales, an important retail measurement that compares performance only at stores open a full year, rose 2 percent. Last year they rose 8 percent in the same period. Pleasanton-based Ross (NASDAQ: ROST) had sales of $666 million in the five weeks ended Oct. 2. A year ago it had sales of $629 million in the equivalent five weeks. Ross guesses its same store sales will be flat or down 1 percent in

Clothing seller Gap Inc. had higher sales in September, but its same store sales fell 2 percent. Same store sales compare performance only at stores open a full year or more, and theyre considered an important measure of a retailers health. In the five weeks ended Oct. 2, Gap (NYSE: GPS) had sales of $1.34 billion, up from sales of $1.33 billion in the equivalent five weeks a year ago. Only international sales saw a jump in same store figures -- they grew 3 percent. Same store sales were flat at Banana Republic, and they fell 1 percent at

Forecasters expect a better holiday season for U.S. retailers, but say the price will be more discounts to get consumers shopping.

The National Retail Federation expects holiday sales to rise 2.3% over last year to $447.1 billion, the biggest increase in three years, in part because of more aggressive pricing strategies. The tone was set by the discount-driven back-to-school shopping season, which wrapped up in September with strong sales of children's and teen clothing, according to MasterCard Inc.'s SpendingPulse unit that tracks payment by cash, check and credit card.

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CVS Caremark Corp. said Thursday it has promoted Jonathan Roberts to the new position of COO of the Caremark pharmacy benefits management business. Roberts has been with CVS and CVS Caremark for almost 20 years.He currently directs prescription purchasing, pricing and network relations.

Upscale retailer Neiman Marcus Inc. saw its same-store sales jump 4.7 percent in September, the Dallas-based company said Thursday. During the five-week period ending Oct. 2, the company posted $370 million in same-store sales, compared to $354 million a year earlier. Same-store sales is the companys measure of sales at stores open for 12 months or more. In the companys Specialty Retail Stores segment which includes Neiman Marcus Stores and Bergdorf Goodman same-store sales increased 3.3 percent.