Holiday Shopping

With the holiday season upon us, we look at the outlook for N.H. retailers, as some venture into online sales; meanwhile there's also something of a retail reversal underway -- as some mega online companies go brick-and-mortar. Also, as consumer debt reaches new highs, some worry another borrowing bubble could be in the cards. And: Is the Granite State economy going strong or getting weaker?

Many local stores across New Hampshire reported record sales this holiday shopping season. And that foot traffic is not expected to slow down this week.

Dozens of New Hampshire small businesses will be offering deals this weekend but not for Black Friday -- rather they're celebrating “Plaid Friday.”

No matter how polished, prepped, and put together he or she may be, every presidential candidate copes with an Achilles heel. On today’s show, we'll find out how Marco Rubio capitalized on reaching for the water bottle...again and again and again. Then, need a gift idea for the book lover in your life? We'll go beyond the best seller list for a sampling of the best overlooked books of 2015, including a collection of short stories from Kelly Link.

The annual tsunami of best-of book lists is upon us - a time for critics to tell us what we should have been reading, watching and listening to in 2015. Here at Word of Mouth, we tend to root for the underdog...so we are proud to present a sort-of Island of Misfit Toys equivalent of the year's best. 

The day after Thanksgiving is better known as Black Friday when  shoppers rush to the stores in the early hours for a bargain. But local New Hampshire shop owners urge  people to skip out on the madness and head to downtown stores where you can get discounts  for just wearing plaid.

The tradition is known as Plaid Friday – and it’s not just in New Hampshire – but across the country.  Liza Poinier with Intown Concord says more than a dozen stores in Concord plan to participate.

Television is dead! Long live television! Despite predictions of its demise, a new golden age of tv is hitting its stride. Today, three critics weigh in on what’s on, who’s cutting the cable cord, and where the business of TV is headed. We’ll also get some thoughts on what’s worth watching, including the summer’s most divisive offering, True Detective. Then, it’s Ramadan. If you didn’t know that, you aren’t alone…American retailers are ignoring the growing Muslim market at their peril.

With the countdown to Christmas now measured in hours instead of days, the online holiday deals you may have shrugged off a few weeks ago are now looking downright clickable. On today’s show we’ll discuss why those offers are often too-good-to-be-true.

Plus, a literary wrap up of 2014. We’ll venture off the best-seller list for a sampling of the best overlooked books of the year.

And a glimpse of pre-revolutionary Cuba through the story of Julian Lobo, a sugar trader and financier, considered to be Cuba’s last tycoon.

Listen to the full show and click Read more for individual segments.

Last week, the Federal Reserve released a startling statistic: one in five people nearing retirement age have no money saved for it. On today’s show we pose the question: have we reached the end of retirement? Also, with almost 8 million Americans over 65 still working – a rising number of older Americans are hitting the road to chase low-wage jobs across the country.  We’ll also talk to a reporter who looked for the retail connection to a holiday that is growing in popularity here in the US: Ramadan.

Listen to the full show and Read more for individual segments.

With Christmas a week away, shoppers are crowding into malls, outlets, and downtown shopping districts looking for last-minute gifts.  But, for those looking for unusual handmade gifts, there’s another, unorthodox, option available.