Holiday sales grew 3.4 percent over 2018 levels, according to new data from Mastercard SpendingPulse reported by the Chicago Tribune. Notably, e-commerce sales grew by 18.8 percent, “marking the continuing change in how people shop,” according to the article. Sales …

As the new year arrived, 24 states across the U.S. have either raised their state’s minimum wage or plan to do so in the coming months, according to U.S. News & World Report. In addition, workers in the District of …

Every workplace has its own unique culture: the shared values and actions that guide each business and influence how customers and the outside world view it. When employers honestly assess their workplace culture, take steps to address long-standing issues and …

In the January issue of Hardware Retailing, you read how Hassett Hardware and Friedman’s Home Improvement took steps to evaluate and improve their workplace culture. As each company united behind a single goal, teams grew closer and found new ways …

Spahn & Rose Lumber Co., a lumber distributor based in Dubuque, Iowa, has reached an agreement to purchase Moeller & Walter, a full-service building design and materials store in Reinbeck, Iowa. Spahn & Rose will acquire Moeller & Walter’s real …

Amazon is telling third-party sellers they can no longer use FedEx Ground for Prime shipments, The Wall Street Journal reports. Amazon cites declining performance from FedEx as the reason for the temporary ban, according to the article. A spokesperson for …

U.S. homebuilder confidence reached its highest level since June 1999, according to new data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The latest reading of home builder confidence was 76 basis points in December. Anything …