Oct. 04 - Holiday sales could spike 9% | Retailers battle hiring and supply shortages

'We're going to see a lot of bare shelves': Retail preps for a holiday beset by supply chain pain

Bottlenecks from factories to cargo ships mean less inventory and fewer discounts for the season.  

Holiday sales could spike 9% in 2021: Deloitte

Last year's spending growth during the season surprised many retail observers. This year could be even better.  

Target sets off holiday shopping with deals, price matching

The retailer is incentivizing consumers to shop early as inventory constraints, labor shortages and supply chain issues loom over the season.

Holiday playbook: 5 strategies for success

How major retailers are staffing up for the 2021 holiday season

Target on Thursday announced that it is adding 30,000 supply chain workers for roles that include warehouse and operational support staff. 

Over 30% of consumers plan to spend more on gifts in 2021: Klarna

A survey found that 62% of respondents plan on shopping with big-box retailers during the holiday season, followed by department stores and malls.

Lowe's places larger orders with suppliers to avoid holiday stockouts

The hardware retailer says inventory levels are "actually getting better, not worse," as other companies struggle to navigate supply chain disruptions. 

FedEx diverts packages as labor shortage bites into service levels

The need for labor will only become more pressing as the carrier braces for peak season.

Toymakers worry congestion will lead to holiday inventory troubles

The time it takes to ship products from China to the U.S. increased by 83% in September compared to before the pandemic, according to Freightos.