Retailers report modest gains for April Americans spent briskly during the early spring months in the latest sign that they’re encouraged by the economic recovery. Falling gas prices, a rallying stock market and gains in the job market all fueled Americans’ shopping habits even as cold weather tempered their desire to buy spring fashions. More
Sears Didn't Move Fast Enough, CEO Says Sears continues to struggle to get a "decent" return on its assets and the retailer didn't move fast enough to cut expenses after the financial crisis, the CEO said at the annual meeting. More
J.C. Penney ad apologizes to customers The ad comes after the Plano, Texas-based company last month fired its CEO, Ron Johnson, after 17 months on the job and rehired his predecessor Mike Ullman. Johnson's ambitious changes included getting rid of most sales and bringing in new, hip brands. More
Discover Pushes PayPal Payments; First Data Holds Out Discover makes headway in bringing eBay's online-payments service to physical retailers, but First Data, one of the country's largest merchant processors, has opted not to support the service. More
Big brands rejected Bangladesh factory safety plan As Bangladesh reels from the deaths of hundreds of garment workers in a building collapse, the refusal of global retailers to pay for strict nationwide factory inspections is bringing renewed scrutiny to an industry that has profited from a country notorious for its hazardous workplaces and subsistence-level wages. More