Holiday Helpers And Theater: Retailers Go Big This Season

A battle is raging for consumers’ wallets this holiday season, and it’s going to involve glamour, red curtains, selfie booths and price wars. Brick-and-mortar retailers like Walmart and Target are doubling down on their preparations for the season, rushing to snap up temporary workers to make shoppers’ sugarplum dreams come true. With consumers coming off their first year of household income gains since 2007, retailers are counting on them to boost their holiday spending by anywhere from about 4 percent to 10 percent this year. That could lift the season’s sales to their highest level since the recession. At the same time, consumers are increasingly shopping online, taking advantage of free shipping offers and price discounts from Amazon and the like. That’s raising the stakes for big retailers to create unusual experiences inside their stores as a way to lure consumers away from their computers and smartphones. See more at CBS News.