Laura Kennedy

Auto sales are finally turning the corner -- to the advantage of U.S. workers and communities.

Go ahead and check out our competition, they say, betting that you won’t bother schlepping to another store after all.

New electronic transfer technologies will turn paper and coin into historical anachronisms.

Independent business alliances are helping small and midsize companies build markets, cut costs and boost profits.

Stores’ most important season is bound to be better than last year’s. The question is by how much.

Right now, manufacturers slap all kinds of environmentally friendly labels on products ranging from glass cleaners to shoes, but there may not be much…

There’s a new spin on loyalty programs -- rewards for cutting back on trash.

E-mailed promotions lure new customers with big discounts

Consumers will actually benefit from a new wave of consolidation, driven in part by Wal-Mart's gains.

A 50¢ credit card charge to read an article online? A buck to skip the cash register? It’s coming soon.

Companies have more ways than ever to reach customers.

Services that target ads and offers to customers around the corner offer a new inroad.

Investors are taking an interest in commercial real estate, primarily apartment and office buildings. Retail space -- not so much.

Cost cutting and lower wholesale prices should help merchants turn a profit, even though sales volume won’t give them much to cheer about.

Cable operators and advertisers believe their long-sought Holy Grail of interactive ads is in reach. But will viewers play along?

The impact on holiday sales could hamper the recovery’s start.