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☆ How we're buying perfume lately could signal how we're feeling about the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —How consumers are feeling about the health of the US economy, and of their own wallets, could be showing up in the way we’re buying one particular indulgence — perfume. During periods of economic uncertainty, consumer behavior experts say shoppers tend to alter their purchase patterns, especially for discretionary goods. They either switch to cheaper alternatives, cut back on how often they buy a product, or stop buying some products completely. Perfume is no exception to these trends, as cheaper variants are seeing sales shoot through the roof. And that’s just one way in which consumers are pulling back, despite more traditional economic indicators telling a much rosier story.

Persons: don’t, ”, Dallin Hatch, Hatch, Jacquelyn, ” Larissa Jensen Organizations: New, New York CNN Locations: New York, Circana

☆ Taylor Swift urged to postpone LA shows amid hotel strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —“Swifties” heading to Los Angeles to see Taylor Swift concerts this week may find a large number of staff at their hotels on strike when they get there. Some California politicians wrote to Swift this week urging her to cancel her shows in LA, which run from Thursday through August 9. The politicians said Swift’s shows would be money makers for the hotels they are battling. Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesThe open letter addressed to Swift said, “We are writing in support of the hotel housekeepers across Los Angeles. “In Los Angeles, hotels are doubling and tripling what they charge because you are coming… but many workers cannot afford to live close to where they work.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Swift, Gov, Eleni Kounalakis, JW, Beverly Hilton, Seasons Regent Beverly Wilshire, Irfan Khan, “, – CNN’s Chris Isidore Organizations: New, New York CNN, SoFi, Westin LAX, Democrat, CNN, Ritz, Carlton, JW Marriott LA, Anaheim Hilton, Seasons Regent, Hyatt Regency LAX, Los Angeles Times Locations: New York, Los Angeles, LAX, California, LA, Southern California, Orange, Fairmont Miramar, Anaheim, Los Angeles , CA

☆ Lunchables is heading to the produce aisle with a fresh fruit snack tray
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Lunchables fresh fruit tray not only has a new location – Lunchables are typically found in a store’s refrigerated aisle – but also tweaked packaging and pricing. Lunchables is heading to the produce aisle with a fresh fruit snack tray for kids. The fresh fruit option will also have a shorter shelf life of about 10 days compared to 90 to 110 days for other Lunchables. Lunchables, he said, has included fruit in past products but not fresh fruits. The catalyst to rethink fruits in the snack tray emerged last year when the brand “saw almost a 500% increase in search for Lunchables with fruits,” he said.

Persons: New York CNN —, Kraft Heinz, ” Vikramjeet Singh, Kraft Heinz Singh, ”, Singh, –, Lunchables, Fresh, Kraft Organizations: New, New York CNN, Kraft, Walmart, CNN, Lunchables Locations: New York, South Central

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond is back from the dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Brought back to lifeJohnson promised newness blended with familiarity for Bed Bath & Beyond customers in the latest digital-only version of the retailer. “It will have the same great bed, bath and kitchen items but it will also have a much bigger beyond,” he said. Fans of Bed Bath & Beyond’s 20%-off a single item “Big Blue” coupon will be somewhat disappointed that it will not be resurrected. “I guess what I would say about the coupon is that if you like Bed Bath & Beyond coupons in the past, you will like new Bed Bath & Beyond mobile app we will be rolling out with launch in US,” said Johnson. Bed Bath & Beyond“We’ll still be offering coupons even if they’re not as large as the 20% coupon that people expected and frankly demanded from Bed Bath & Beyond,” said Johnson.

Persons: Overstock.com, ” Jonathan Johnson, ”, Johnson, newness, Beyond.com, What’s, “, it’s, We’ll, Beyond’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bed, CNN, Beyond, US Locations: New York, ”, New Jersey

☆ Adidas clearing out more Yeezy shoes in second release
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Mattel plans to go all in on Barbie for Christmas
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Mattel, riding high on the pink wave of the box office success of the “Barbie” movie, plans to go all in to deliver a Barbie kind of Christmas this year. The “Barbie” movie, from director Greta Gerwig, scored the largest opening weekend of 2023, pulling in $155 million domestically over its US opening weekend and $337 million globally. On June 1, Mattel released a new collection of toys tied to the “Barbie” movie, which included Barbie and Ken dolls pegged to characters in the movie and a toy replica of Barbie’s three-story DreamHouse. Kreiz said the initial movie-related products had sold out and that Mattel plans to release more products timed for the holidays. Mattel's new Barbie and Ken dolls tied to their characters in the "Barbie" movie.

Persons: New York CNN —, Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Barbie ”, Ynon Kreiz, we’ve, ”, Kreiz, Ken, Anthony DiSilvestro, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Mattel, Warner Bros . Pictures, Warner Bros . Discovery, Mattel Locations: New York

☆ Barbenheimer could be the one-two movie punch that blasts away the superhero smash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

'Barbie' dominated at the box office, bringing in $155 million in its opening weekend in the US. Fury of the Gods (from Warner Bros.), with $58 million in domestic box office sales since it premiered on March 17. 3” have so far helped the film collect $359 million in box office sales domestically since it premiered on May 5. “The superhero movie is not the novelty that it used to be,” Shawn Robbins, chief analyst with Boxoffice Pro, said in an interview with CNN. 'Oppenheimer' raked in $80.5 million at the box office in its opening weekend in the US.

Persons: New York CNN —, Barbie, Oppenheimer, “, ”, Greta Gerwig’s “ Barbie, Christopher Nolan’s “ Oppenheimer, Robert Oppenheimer, “ Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, ” Shawn Robbins, don’t, Robbins, “ It’s, we’ve, “ Barbie ”, ” Michael O’Leary, ‘ Barbie ’, ‘ Oppenheimer, ’ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Yankee, Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Warner Bros, Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros ., DC, “ Guardians, Boxoffice, CNN, US, Universal, ‘, Galaxy, DC Comics, Marvel, mojo, “, National Association of Theatre Owners Locations: New York, America, New York City, United States

New York CNN —A 68-year-old woman has her job back after she was fired last month for attempting to stop shoplifters at a Lowe’s store in Georgia. “The Lowes (sic) employee, Donna Hansbrough was fired for attempting to stop the theft,” the post said. “After senior management became aware of the incident and spoke to Donna Hansbrough today, we are reinstating her job and we are pleased that she has accepted the offer to return to Lowe’s,” Lowe’s said. In Kansas, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican, said retail crime is a “spiraling problem,” adding that Kansas and Missouri are among the top 10 states in the nation for the volume of retail crime. “There is a link between drug trafficking and organized retail crime,” Kobach told lawmakers in June.

Persons: Donna Hansbrough, Lowes, “ Lowes, Donna, ” Lowe’s, Hansbrough, “, Kris Kobach, Kobach, ” Kobach, ”, Read Hayes, they’ve, Lululemon Organizations: New, New York CNN, Rincon Police Department, Lowes, CNN, Retailers, National Retail Federation, Republican, Kansas, “, University of Florida, Prevention Research Council, Walmart, “ Retailers Locations: New York, Georgia, Rincon, San Francisco, America, In Kansas, Kansas, Missouri, Peachtree Corners , Georgia

☆ Not every version of Barbie was a hit. Check out these flops
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Barbie’s pregnant sidekick, MidgePregnant Midge was featured in Mattel's Happy Family Barbie Collection that also included Alan (pictured here behind the stroller). Fast-forward to 2002, Mattel introduced a pregnant Midge doll, featuring a detachable baby bump with a toy baby inside. The Midge doll created ripples. Walmart (WMT) ended up pulling the pregnant Midge doll from its store shelves, citing customer complaints about the appropriateness of a “pregnant” doll. When the FBI came after this BarbieVideo Barbie doll with a built-in LCD screen and download port for videos.

Persons: New York CNN —, Barbie, She’s, who’ve, Barbie Fashionistas, “ Barbie, ”, James Zahn, “ There’s, Midge, Alan, Lawrence Lucier, Zahn, Allan, Ryan, “ Allan ”, “ Allan didn’t, Mattel, “ Alan ”, Tanner, Barbie’s, Mark Ralston, Tanner playset, Tanner playsets, Barbie Mattel, Martin James Brannan, Skipper, Skipper ”, “, Miguel Villagran, Barbie Mark Lennihan, Richard Gottlieb Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bel Air, Mattel, Walmart, “, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, OREO, Nabisco, Fairfax Media, FBI, Global Toy Experts, New York Times Magazine Locations: New York, American, Barbie, AFP

☆ AMC Theaters scraps plans to charge more for good seats
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

In February, AMC (AMC) said it was rolling out the initiative to all of its roughly 1,000 movie theaters by the end of the year. The company said at the time that AMC theaters would offer three pricing tiers for tickets, with the highest-end “Preferred” tier in the middle of the theaters priced at a “slight premium” compared to its “Standard” tier. That standard tier, it said, would be sold for the “traditional cost of a ticket.” The third “Value” tier would be the lowest-priced tickets for seats in the front row. AMC said it is now pivoting away from Sightline and will not roll it out nationwide. Moving forward, AMC said it’s gearing up to test more spacious front rows, with seats that recline, in theaters nationwide later in the year.

Persons: – CNN’s Jordan Valinsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, AMC Locations: New York, Sightline

☆ Babies R Us makes a comeback with new US flagship store
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —First came Toys R Us’ roller coaster revival, and now Babies R Us is experiencing its own rebirth, too. Babies R Us, which went out of business in tandem with its parent company, Toys R Us, in 2018, is opening its new US flagship store on Wednesday at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. Tru Kids had bought Toys R Us (which also owned Babies R Us) in a 2018 liquidation sale and had attempted to resurrect the toy store chain, opening two locations in New Jersey and Texas in late 2019. It opened a new 20,000 square foot Toys R Us flagship store, also at the American Dream Mall, in December 2021. He said Babies R Us’ comeback will “mimic” that of Toys R Us: “Expect the same ambitious rollout,” said Shmidman, adding that WHP is looking at taking Babies R Us nationwide with a similar partnership to Macy’s-Toys R Us.

Persons: CNN —, Yehuda Shmidman, ”, Jarrett Birnbaum, reemergence, –, Shmidman, “ Organizations: CNN, US, WHP, Tru, Macy’s, Bed Locations: New Jersey, Texas

☆ Back-to-school spending is forecast to drop 10% as inflation bites
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Back-to-school spending by parents with children in grades K-12 is expected to decrease 10% this year over last year to $597 per student, according to a new forecast from Deloitte on Wednesday. The last time Deloitte expected a decline in back-to-school spending was in 2014. Although US consumer spending has remained strong, even as inflation has taken a bite out of discretionary purchases, the economy is starting to show cracks. The report said spending on clothing is expected to fall 14% year-over-year and technology-related purchases are forecast to decline 13%; in contrast, purchases of school supplies are expected to be up 20% compared to last year. Among parents spending less, 51% attributed the pullback to reduced disposable income (up from 45% in 2022), while 75% of those spending more said it was because of increased prices (up from 60% in 2022).

Persons: Nick Handrinos, “ It’s, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Deloitte, Target Locations: New York

☆ With home improvement projects down, it’s Ikea’s moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Over the next three years, it plans to open eight large stores and nine smaller “plan and order points,” where customers can chat with design consultants and order products. “We see endless opportunities to grow” in the US, Tolga Öncü, head of Ikea Retail for the Ingka Group, Ikea’s Dutch holding company, said in a statement at the time. After splurging on home improvement projects during the pandemic, consumers are pulling back. Home improvement retailer Lowe’s lowered its profit and sales outlook for the year in May, saying consumers were spending less on home improvement. Ikea, which is not publicly traded, reported that its retail sales rose by 6.5% in fiscal year 2022, but didn’t post quarterly results.

Persons: ”, Michael Brown, Spencer Platt, Tolga Öncü, Karl Zimmermann, “, Sucharita Kodali, Forrester, “ they’re, Zimmermann, Paul Bersebach, Marisa Ortega, splurging, Ethan Allen, ” Ortega, —, Anna Cooban, David Goldman, Nathaniel Meyersohn, Parija Kavilanz Organizations: New, New York CNN, Ikea, Ikea Retail, Ingka, Bain, MediaNews, Orange, Register Locations: New York, Aldi, Long Beach , California

☆ Retail crime has hit a bustling Kansas metropolis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Republican Kris Kobach, Kansas’ attorney general, said retail crime is a “spiraling problem” in his state, adding that Kansas and Missouri are among the top 10 states in the nation for volume of retail crime. “There is a link between drug trafficking and organized retail crime,” Kobach told lawmakers in June. “Organized retail crime is a problem that is getting worse, not better. Organized retail crime offers criminals a business model of pure profit, “with no overhead, rent, product cost. In early June, Kobach testified before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Organized Retail Crime and the Threat to Public Safety.”“When one thinks about the explosion of organized retail crime in the United States, the State of Kansas may not intuitively jump to mind,” he told lawmakers.

Persons: They’re, it’s, Coleman, “ I’ve, ”, Casey Slaughter, Kris Kobach, Kobach, ” Kobach, Joe Sullivan, Sullivan, ” Sullivan, Joe Sohm, Cabela’s, shoplifters, ” Cabela’s, Slaughter, “, Marc Bennett, There’s, Harold Casey, Casey, She’s, Poor, John Hanna, don’t, “ That’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Wichita Police, Kansas, CNN, “, Wichita, Wichita Skyline, America, Sporting Goods, Academy Sports, National Retail Federation, Centers for Disease Control, of Kansas, Scott, Family Services, ”, Walgreens, Public Safety Locations: New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Wichita , Kansas, Kris Kobach , Kansas, Kansas, Missouri, In Kansas, Sedgwick, Wichita, Arkansas Rivers, , Kansas, ”, Kansas . Kansas, Sedgwick County, Ulta, United States, State, But Kansas, “ In Kansas

☆ Walgreens profit tumbles, slashes guidance amid significant drop in Covid vaccine demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Walgreens Boots Alliance on Tuesday reported earnings that tumbled from the same time a year ago amid softening consumer spending and a pullback in demand for Covid vaccines. Its pharmacy sales increased 6.3% in the period versus a year ago, while comparable pharmacy sales increased 9.8%, boosted by higher prices of branded medication. But the volume of Covid vaccines administered in the quarter plummeted to 0.8 million, compared to 4.7 million a year ago. Outside of pharmacy products, Walgreens reported retail sales fell 1% and comparable sales decreased 0.2% in the quarter. Excluding tobacco, comparable retail sales increased 0.2%, led by purchases of grocery, household and beauty items.

Persons: Rosalind Brewer, Neil Saunders, ”, Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreens, U.S . Healthcare, Roosevelt, Global Locations: New York, Chicago

☆ Furby, the bug-eyed, gibberish-talking ’90s toy phenomenon, has been revived — again
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Furby, the ’90s toy phenomenon that divided kids and parents into opposing camps when it first hit stores and quickly became a craze, is making yet another comeback. The latest iteration of the animatronic toy launched on Amazon Thursday and rolls into stores nationwide on July 15 after a nearly 10-year gap. Still, Hasbro said it sold more than 40 million Furby toys globally in the first three years after they launched. In 2016, Hasbro launched Furby Connect, a version of the toy that incorporated Bluetooth for content upgrades via an app and an off button. “There’s a saying in the toy industry that what’s old is new again,” he said.

Persons: New York CNN —, Furby, pats, ”, Kristin McKay, Gen Alpha, —, Jim Silver, “ Furby, Silver, “, Barney Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hasbro, Amazon, Alpha, Hasbro Hasbro, Furby Locations: New York

☆ OceanGate Expeditions' Titanic tourism is a thing, and it's dangerous
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But for those willing to shell out, tourism and research company OceanGate Expeditions offered eight-day missions that allow customers to explore the Titanic more than 13,000 feet below the ocean’s surface using five-seat carbon fiber and titanium underwater vessels. OceanGate launched successful expeditions to the Titanic wreckage in 2021 and 2022. Geoffrey Kent, the founder of luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, has recently planned trips for clients including race car driving on ice in Finland and orangutan trekking in Borneo. OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush has also repeatedly claimed that existing submersible regulations needlessly prioritize passenger safety over commercial innovation. But it also hasn’t innovated or grown—because they have all these regulations,” Rush said in an interview that appeared in a June 2019 issue of Smithsonian Magazine.

Persons: –, ”, Nick D’Annunzio, TARA, OceanGate, Stockton Rush, Andrea Doria, Bill Sikes, Rush, Knight Frank, “, Gideon Kimbrell, Everest’s, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, Geoffrey Kent, Sal Mercogliano, hasn’t, It’s, ” Rush, David Pogue, don’t, “ Don’t, ” It’s, D’Annunzio, Ann Epting, Epting, Brad Lendon, Parija Kavilanz Organizations: CNN, OceanGate Expeditions, US Coast Guard, Expeditions, Stockton Rush, Rescuers, OceanGate Foundation, Virgin Galactic, Virgin, VSS Unity, Origin, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Abercrombie, Kent, Campbell University, Smithsonian Magazine, CBS, Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX, FAA, Kent’s, Abercrombie & Kent Locations: Everett , Washington, Boston, Stockton, Finland, Borneo, North Carolina, Oman

☆ Walgreens unveils Chicago store with only two aisles and most products kept out of sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Walgreens just opened a redesigned store in a downtown Chicago neighborhood where most of the merchandise is intentionally kept out of sight. It’s not designed to deter theft, Walgreens says. The new Walgreens store now has only two aisles for shoppers to peruse for their everyday needs, such as over-the-counter medication, bath and body care supplies, batteries, Band-aids, and grab-and-go snacks. Those hidden products – including color cosmetics, beer, wine and spirits, hair color products and gift cards – can only be accessed for purchase through a kiosk system, also set up in the store. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that went into effect Jan. 1 that’s designed to crack down on retail crime by raising penalties on retail theft statewide.

Persons: Walgreens, Robb Karr, J.B, Pritzker, ”, Karr, “, John Hassard, Robson, Hassard, Lululemon, “ We’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walgreens, Roosevelt, What’s, CNN, Walmart, Target, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Walgreens ., Robson Forensic, National Retail Federation Locations: New York, Chicago, America, Walgreens . Illinois, Atlanta, harm’s, San Francisco

☆ Federal government urges consumers to stop using recalled Boppy infant loungers after additional deaths
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The recalled products made by The Boppy Company, of Golden, Colorado, include Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers. More than 3 million Newborn Loungers were recalled in September 2021 after eight infants died as a result of use of the product. The CPSC said the Newborn Loungers have not been legal for sale since they were recalled. The agency said It is unlawful for recalled products to be listed for sale on an online marketplace or to sell or donate a recalled product in any other manner. Consumers should stop using the recalled Newborn Loungers can contact The Boppy Company for instructions on how to dispose of the product and get a refund.

Persons: CPSC, Boppy Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Consumer Product Safety, Boppy, Facebook, Boppy Company Locations: New York, Golden , Colorado

☆ Lululemon stands by decision to fire employees who intervened in robbery
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“It’s only merchandise.”McDonald said the employees “knowingly broke the policy” and engaged with the thieves, including following them out of the store. As economic fears grow amid inflation and rising borrowing costs, incidents of retail crime are mounting. Target (TGT) last month said it was bracing to lose half a billion dollars this year because of rising theft. “This is organized retail crime. “We’ve had instances, and we’ve seen in other retailers instances where employees step in and are hurt or worse, killed,” he told CNBC.

Persons: New York CNN — Lululemon’s, LULU, Calvin McDonald, “, ”, ” McDonald, Lululemon, Read Hayes, criminologist, they’ve, ” Lululemon, Nordstrom, Hayes, McDonald, “ We’ve, we’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, “, CNBC, University of Florida, Prevention Research Council, Walmart, Target, “ Retailers, CNN, Employees, Dollar, Foods, Walgreens, National Retail Federation Locations: New York, Peachtree Corners , Georgia, Peachtree, Georgia, harm’s, San Francisco, Bethesda , Maryland

☆ Why one popular shoe brand is lowering prices despite inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —As inflation continues to strain family budgets, forcing people to prioritize purchasing daily necessities over discretionary buys, one maker of popular footwear is lowering prices on its products to provide some relief to weary consumers. “Families are obviously feeling the pressure from inflation,” Beth Goldstein, footwear and accessories analyst at Circana, said in the report. “Without the government assistance that many households with children had previously received, they are now prioritizing their kids’ footwear replacement needs over their own.”Keen said it is lowering prices on its footwear provide some relief to inflation-weary consumers. Courtesy KeenThe company said it’s started reducing prices across its portfolio of products, which range from $36 for kids’ shoes to about $250 for adult shoes. Keen is lowering prices by about 5% across its products.

Persons: Circana, Beth Goldstein, ” Keen, it’s, ” John Evons, Keen, “, ”, Evons, ” Evons, Goldstein, Keen’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, NPD, CNN Locations: New York, Oregon, Portland, Dominican Republic, Thailand

☆ The average wedding just hit $29,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The average cost of a wedding, nationally, this year is $29,000, up $1,000 from 2022, according to online wedding planning site Zola. It said searches for alternative weddings – especially underwater weddings – have jumped 305% on its platform. “Though slightly challenging logistically, it should be interesting to see the data for underwater weddings in 2023,” she said. “Wedding photographer Kimber Greenwood, who specializes in underwater wedding photography, is booked to photograph 20 of them this year. The wedding industry should enjoy the recovery, because it may not last.

Persons: Zola, they’re, Emily Forrest, San, Esther Lee, ”, Knot’s Lee, “, Kimber Greenwood, Pinterest, Jenna Landi, “ There’s, Greenwood, they’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, New York, Big Apple, Jewelers Locations: New York, New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Ft . Lauderdale, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Gainesville , Florida

☆ Summer's hottest dress code: Sequins, boots, cowboy hats. Thank you, Taylor Swift
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Or, in other words, the Taylor Swift look. “This has become a wild year already for us because of Taylor Swift,” said Johnson, CEO of Hazel & Olive. Right: Taylor Johnson, founder and CEO of Hazel & Olive, wearing The Eras Sequin Fringe Dress. Taylor Swift performs onstage during night one of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Nissan Stadium on May 05, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Altar'd State stores have curated Taylor Swift looks for concert goers.

☆ Premarket stocks: Will the debt ceiling debate finish the Fed's inflation fight?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Over the last 14 months, the Federal Reserve has taken a deliberate and economically painful approach to combating elevated inflation rates through interest rate hikes. The regional banking crisis and a possible debt-ceiling induced default on US debt could change all of that. What’s happening: There are two policy options that the Fed can use to address elevated inflation. For the first quarter, Lowe’s said overall sales fell 5.5% to $22.3 billion. Home Depot missed on first quarter sales and lowered its outlook for the year after customers slowed their spending.

Persons: shouldn’t, ”, Laurence Ball, Edward Boehne, Jerome Powell, Ben Bernanke, Powell, Ball, there’s, Austan Goolsbee, “, Julian Brigden, Bernanke, ” Bernanke, Olivier Blanchard, Bryan Mena, Blanchard, David Goldman, Parija, Lowe’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Johns Hopkins University, ” Former Philadelphia Fed, Fed, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Yahoo Finance, Partners, International Monetary Fund, Brookings Institution, Target, Walmart, Home Depot Locations: New York, ”, Washington ,, America, California

☆ Why retail theft is soaring: inflation, the economy – and opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But as economic fears grow amid inflation and rising borrowing costs, shoplifting often comes with the territory, industry watchers say. Need and opportunity become forceful catalysts for driving up incidents of retail crime, experts said. He described two types of store theft plaguing retailers currently. “This is organized retail crime. “What’s happening in the overall economy matters when you analyze retail crime overall, but also what is happening more locally, in towns and neighborhoods,” said Hayes.

Persons: Nordstrom, can’t, ”, Read Hayes, criminologist, Hayes, Burt Flickinger, “, Mark Cohen, Cohen, Brian Cornell, Cornell, ” Cornell, that’s, Doug McMillon Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Foods, University of Florida, Prevention Research Council, Walmart, Target, Strategic Resource, Gallup, Columbia Business School, National Retail Federation, CNN, ” Walmart, CNBC Locations: New York, San Francisco, Target

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