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Online crafts marketplace Etsy priced its initial public offering at $16 a share on Wednesday, at the high end of its expected range of $14 to $16 a share.

It's hard to believe we're less than a month away from Thanksgiving. Over the last few years, retailers have opened their stores earlier and earlier on Black Friday in order to cash in on the holiday shopping frenzy. So much so that Black Friday doorbuster sales have crept — uninvited — into our Thanksgiving dinners. Big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Toys"R"Us have gone on record as to how opening on Thanksgiving has increased their sales drastically. But honestly, how in the world did 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving turn into the new midnight for Black Friday sales?

The Barneys New York biannual warehouse sale is the stuff of legends, and easily one of the most anticipated shopping events in New York City every August and February. But now you can get deals on designer duds all year round, minus the aggressive shoppers throwing elbows at you. Barneys announced it's launching a full-time off-price website. Barneyswarehouse.com will debut this coming Monday, WWD is reporting. 

The recession has been tough for many catalog retailers. Recently announced cuts and operational changes within the U.S. Postal Service will burden catalog retailers even further in 2012. That said, catalog retailers can take actions now to improve profitability and competitiveness. Like losing weight or quitting smoking, these five New Year’s resolutions will lead to greater financial and operational health in 2012.