J.C. Penney Co. knows it scores with consumers on quality and price. Now it wants credit for style with a new tagline that pokes fun at itself: “New look. New day. Who knew?”

Imagine getting a promotion and being publicly praised by the boss for your hard work. On the way home, do you buy a fancy watch or comfy couch?

Adidas and the National Basketball Association are hitting the malls. Adidas, which is the league’s official uniform provider, has inked a deal with the NBA and mall-based retailer Champs Sports for an “Official NBA Shop at Champs Sports.” The NBA Shop will debut in 69 Champs Sports stores this month and will be in the remaining 486 Champs Sports stores nationwide by the start of the 2010-11 NBA season, per the companies.

The spring campaign for Candie’s featuring singer Britney Spears was shot by three famous photographers, including Annie Leibovitz.

Disney, the company that created “the happiest place on earth” and cornered the market on pink, is embracing a darker aesthetic as it reaches out to an unlikely audience for new merchandise: female “goths.”

The mobile phone is more than just a device for speaking to people while on the go. Consumers are using it more often to compare and shop for deals and products.

Much like some fine jewelry shops, some e-commerce sites are making prices for items difficult to spot. Only by adding the merchandise to their shopping carts are consumers able to see the cost.

As more retailers look to develop effective social-media strategies, a new study finds that Facebook is by far the most effective way to woo would-be shoppers.

According to Edelman’s latest Trust Barometer, the number of people who view their friends and peers as credible sources of information about a company dropped by almost half, from 45% to 25%, since 2008.

On February 5th, I will be on ABC2News to discuss Valentine’s Day gift ideas. I’m looking for unique stores in Maryland to promote their products to a large audience. Call me today!

The National Retail Federation released its 2010 economic forecast today, projecting retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) will increase 2.5 percent from last year.

Even as the fashion press gears up for an orgy of trend-spotting at New York fashion week, which starts Feb. 11, many observers feel Mr. Wolfe is right: We’ve reached the end of the trend as the guiding stricture in fashion. The “must-have” currently being attached to certain styles—The trench coat! The one-shoulder dress! Metallics!—is little more than a marketing pitch.

Retailers trying to influence moms should pay close attention to their social media efforts and also focus on free items, promotions and discounts, according to a Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) survey conducted by BIGresearch.

RECENT RESEARCH SHOWS that buying local campaigns provide only limited and short-lived results for small businesses. So, as budget-conscious consumers turn to mass retailers, Internet and malls for bargains, what can small business owners do? Here are three suggestions.

Tory Burch and Steve Sadove, Chairman and CEO of Saks, spoke on the challenges that have faced luxury retailers during the past year and opportunities for growth in the future at Retail’s BIG show. Read their tips here.

Yesterday is gone. 2010 is the time to start anew. It’s true that many of my clients and colleagues are tightening their belts now through the first quarter of 2010, but it’s not due to fear carried over from 2009. Instead, many of them are streamlining processes and making divisions more efficient in preparation of new growth during the second half of 2010.

Holiday retail sales might have staved off a visit from the Grinch thanks in part to social media.

Discounters, price-conscious teen stores and social-media-savvy retailers are best-positioned to thrive in the new year, according to retail experts.

What are the state laws when it comes to returning merchandise? Find out right here as Christine Carter speaks with Megan of ABC2News on Good Morning Maryland.

But the Plano, Texas-based retailer isn’t giving up on getting inside customers’ homes. Penney has 636,505 Facebook fans and 3,205 followers on Twitter. As many large retailers do, Penney mostly sticks to business with posts about free shipping or sales. Wal-Mart counts 270,680 Facebook followers, hundreds who vote — literally up or down with small thumb icons — on daily posts.