2005 Holiday Shopping Keys: Sales Galore, Online Shopping Bots, Lack of 'Must Have' Toys and Stricter Return Policies.

AScribe Business & Economics News Service, November, 2005

Byline: Consumers Union

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 22 (AScribe Newswire) -- If you like bargain hunting you may be in for a treat this holiday season, as experts predict retailers will be aggressive with sales from start to finish to move long-held inventory. New shopping season twists this year include the growing popularity of shopping comparison Web sites ("shopping bots"), the lack of a clear-cut popular toy that every child wants and the use of electronic gadgetry to monitor the return of merchandise, according to Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports.

The National Retail Federation projects retail sales gains of 5 percent over last year, compared to a 6.7 percent increase in 2004. "Our 'Smart Holiday Shopping Tips, 2005' are based on the...

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