With two weeks until the official start of the
holiday shopping season, the nation’s retailers
are gearing up for what should be another
brutally competitive shopping period.
The good news? Many retail CEOs say the
U.S. consumer is financially healthy given
the economy remains strong and the
unemployment rate is near a 50-year low.
But keeping up with shoppers’ behavior has
been challenging for retailers, whether it’s the
yearslong shift to shopping online or the more
recent desire to rent or buy second-hand clothes
and other items. Retailers also face increasing
pressure from online leader Amazon, which has
been raising the stakes in speedier shipping.
Here are some key trends and milestones
to watch: