RadioShack Profit Falls on High Costs
April 26, 2011

RadioShack's first-quarter earnings dropped 30 percent and the struggling consumer-electronics retailer slashed the top end of its full-year outlook amid higher costs and lower margins.

Under Armour Reports Q1 Revenue Growth of 36%
April 26, 2011

Under Armour announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31. Net revenues increased 36 percent in the first quarter of 2011 to $312.7 million compared with net revenues of $229.4 million in the first quarter of 2010.

Figure Skating Champ Launches Line of Little Black Dresses
April 25, 2011

National figure skating champion and U.S. Olympian Johnny Weir is gliding into the fashion fray. He’s launching a Little Black Dress collection for spring exclusively on eDressMe.com. The dresses, which will be available April 30, are being unveiled in conjunction with the second annual “Ice Dreams” skating show in Bensenville, Ill., which offers young skaters a chance to perform alongside their Olympic heroes.

Wal-Mart’s Hefty Investment in Mobile Lends Legitimacy to the Space
April 25, 2011

With the news that Wal-Mart will acquire mobile and social commerce firm Kosmix, the big-box retailer became the latest of several large brands last week demonstrating a healthy commitment to the mobile space by investing heavily in related acquisitions or new business.

Shiseido to Start Internet Mall
April 25, 2011

In an effort to bring in young, new customers, Shiseido — Japan’s leading cosmetics brand — plans to open a new beauty and health internet mall. The website will be called “Beauty Platform” or BPF. The site is expected to launch in April of 2012 for Japanese consumers.

New Book Reveals Hardships of Retail Employees
April 25, 2011

At age 50, Caitlin Kelly lost a salaried job at the New York Daily News, so she started working as a sales clerk at The North Face. As a successful freelance writer, she felt burned out by the constant pitching of stories and the lousy pay for those stories. She was restless in the New York City apartment she shared with her well-employed male partner. Kelly had decided against becoming a mother, and no pets shared the apartment.

Credit Card Shopping Prevalent as Economic Sentiment Improves
April 21, 2011

comScore's annual Online Credit Card Report reveals a greater percentage of credit card shopping activity among consumers who reported having a more positive view of the economy. During the past 12 months, 20 percent of all cardholders reported shopping for a new card. Consumers who reported feeling more confident about the economy stands at 34 percent.

Study Finds One-Third of Loyalty Rewards are Never Cashed In
April 21, 2011

Americans accumulate approximately $48 billion in rewards points and miles annually, according to the results of a first-ever study on the perceived dollar value of loyalty programs that illustrates the real economic power of these programs for consumers, issuers, merchants and manufacturers.