Business - Retail

NEW YORK - Walgreen Co. said Wednesday that demand for flu shots and related products has tapered off, leading to disappointing sales in November for the drugstore chain. Full Story »

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. online shoppers spent 5 percent more this Cyber Monday than they did last year as more consumers flocked to the Web for holiday shopping but spent slightly less per person, analytics firm comScore Inc said on Wednesday. Full Story »

MINNEAPOLIS - BestBuy.com, the electronics retailer's Web site, said Tuesday it will offer 99-cent standard shipping on most products, except those that require a scheduled delivery. Full Story »

TOPEKA, Kan. - Shoe and accessories retailer Payless ShoeSource Inc. said Tuesday that it will begin selling shoes in the Philippines as part of an international expansion. Full Story »

The nation's largest office supply retailer, Staples Inc., relies on a mix of consumers and small-business customers. While retail sales have ticked up, small-business sales remain weak. CEO Ron Sargent said in a call with investors Tuesday morning that Staples is likely gaining market share among small-business customers. Full Story »

SAN FRANCISCO - Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond rose Tuesday after an analyst added the housewares retailer to its best ideas list and reiterated an "Outperform" rating. Full Story »

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When U.S. retail chains report November sales this week, investors will learn whether they have gone far enough to protect profits against a weak start to the holiday shopping season. Full Story »

Staples Inc., the nation's largest office supplies retailer, reported Tuesday its fiscal third-quarter profit rose 72 percent to $269.4 million, or 37 cents per share, for the quarter that ended Oct. 31, or 39 cents per share excluding one-time costs. It also reported an uptick in North American retail sales, sending shares up. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Staples Inc., the largest U.S. office supply retailer, provided an upbeat outlook Tuesday as it reported that its customers bought more school and office supplies and technology products in its stores in the third quarter. Full Story »

NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Staples Inc reported third-quarter results that topped analyst estimates and forecast higher sales in the current quarter as trends improve at its North American retail business. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Retail Web sites kept amping up the deals Monday, the first day after Thanksgiving weekend's strong online sales, to try to maintain the momentum. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services upgraded its outlook on high-end department store retailer Saks Inc. to stable from negative Monday, based on the retailer's improved cash position. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - After a modest start to the US holiday shopping season with "Black Friday," online retailers are looking to "Cyber Monday" for a boost in sales. Full Story »

NEW YORK - A research firm says retail sales Friday and Saturday edged up 0.9 percent, while customer traffic fell 2.7 percent compared with last year. Full Story »

The release of Barnes & Noble's new electronic book reader, nook, has been delayed. The online and brick-and-mortar retailer said high pre-orders for its device set back the release by one week. Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc hit an all-time high of $135.01 on a split-adjusted basis on Monday as the stock rose more than 2 percent. Full Story »

NEW YORK - With the holiday shopping season just under way, analysts are mixed as to whether retailers will fare better this season than last year. Full Story »

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Consumers spent significantly less at the start of the holiday season this weekend, dimming hopes for a retail comeback that would help propel the economy early in 2010. Full Story »