Retail Stores

Layaway almost disappeared during the last economic boom. With easy credit and plenty of home equity to tap, many families no longer needed a pay-as-you-go way of making purchases. But today, layaway is back. And in a big way.

When the first flakes of a snowstorm start falling in Philadelphia, it doesn't take nearby Home Depot stores long to position shovels and rock salt up near their front doors. At the same time, if a heat wave is blasting Phoenix, shoppers walking into their local Wal-Mart will be tempted to buy air conditioners, kiddie pools and slushy machines.

A week before Halloween and two full months before Christmas, stores are desperately trying to outdo each other in hopes of drawing in customers worn down by the economy.

Juicy Couture opened a flagship in Beijing on Oct. 20. The store, located in Sanlitun, resembles a château in its design, and features herringbone floors as well as a pink, yellow and blue color scheme. 

eBay and designer Jonathan Adler have opened The eBay Inspiration Shop — a 24/7 shoppable storefront in New York City showcasing a collection of new, must-have merchandise for the fall season. The “always-open” store windows enable shoppers to browse and buy the very moment inspiration strikes, leveraging eBay’s mobile technology to shop anytime, anywhere, anyhow.

Dollar General is offering a 10 percent discount on toy purchases of $100 or more during the holiday season. The dollar store chain said the discount will be in effect through Dec. 24 at all of its 9,600 locations, which cover 36 states.

Joe Fresh, the Canadian value-priced apparel brand, has opened its first permanent U.S. store in New Jersey and another in New York. The company will make its New York City debut in Manhattan’s Flat Iron District on Nov.3. A second store will open in the spring on Fifth Ave.

Coming soon to your local Wal-Mart: more craft beer. In another sign that the fast-growing segment is going mainstream, the nation's largest retailer and biggest beer seller is planning to add shelf space to accommodate more craft brews, former Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott told distributors this week at their annual convention in Las Vegas.

Armed with savvy shopping skills and a renewed focus on value, consumers this holiday season will shop at a variety of locations and channels as they scope out ways to get the best bang for their buck.

Retailers taking advantage of marketing in the digital world might see more of a benefit at the check-out counter. The NYU Stern School of Business Center for Measurable Marketing joined social media monitoring company Crimson Hexagon to complete a recent study that revealed a positive correlation between social media and store traffic.