aggregatedcontent

Year-over-year GAFO retail sales increased 3.3% for the week ending Sept. 18, while sales were down 10.6% for the previous week ending Sept.

NEW YORK -- Macy's Inc. said Thursday it would make a "slight increase" in hiring during the holiday season because of an expected rise of 3% to 3.5% in same-store sales in the second half of fiscal 2010.

There will be no shortage of ghosts or goblins this Halloween as 148 million Americans partake in some sort of holiday celebration, spending considerably more than they did last year. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $66.28 on costumes, candy and decorations, up from last year’s $56.31 and comparable to the $66.54 average spend in 2008. Total spending for the holiday is expected to reach $5.8 billion.

Urban Brands, which operates stores under the Ashley Stewart banner, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday.

Wal-Mart is experimenting with allowing customers to buy merchandise online and have it delivered free to urban FedEx locations, a bid to boost sales in big cities where the retailer has little to no store presence.

Swedish furniture giant IKEA plans over the next three years to double its annual spending on products from South Asia to $1.31 billion, and is pressing the Indian government to relax investment regulations so it can launch its retail superstores in the country, its CEO told reporters.

Alibris Holdings Inc., the parent of rare and out-of-print book service Alibris in Emeryville, changed its name to Monsoon Commerce Solutions Inc. Early this year, Alibris Holdings bought Monsoon Inc. of Portland, Ore.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. said late Wednesday its second-quarter profit rose to $181.6 million, or 70 cents a share, from $135.5 million, or 52 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue increased to $2.14 billion from $1.91 billion last year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research estimated a quarterly profit of 63 cents a share on revenue of $2.1 billion. The company forecast third-quarter earnings of 61 cents to 65 cents a share, compared with a Wall Street consensus of 63 cents a share. Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond rose 5.8% to $44.48 in

Posies Cafe signed up with Groupon several months ago. If Groupon could promise to deliver a certain minimum number of customers, Posies would sell them $13 worth of products for $6. Nearly 1,000 people bought the Groupon in the one day it was advertised, swamping the small coffee shop for three months. Posies' owner said that the volume of sales coupled with the steep discount threatened her business, forcing her to spend $8,000 of her personal savings to pay her employees and the rent.

Kohl’s is expanding its solar program into Pennsylvania, it revealed last week as it activated its 100th solar array. On average, each project will comprise 1,400 panels and have the ability to provide nearly half of each store’s electricity supplies — the equivalent of enough power for 36 homes.