NEW BERLIN, Wis. - Jalem Getz used to dislike the lack of seasons in his native California. Now he uses the extreme seasonality of the Halloween business to turn a big profit.

As the wealth of middle-class consumers hemorrhaged during the Great Recession, so did the retailers that catered to them.

Tempe's Changing Hands Bookstore is set up for customers browsing its shelves in search of a good read, co-owner Gayle Shanks said.

PHOENIX -- Arizona is moving toward making online merchants collect sales tax on residents' purchases, a departure from the state's previous hands-off stance.

It’s a bit of a drive from the East Valley, but outdoor-sports lovers are likely to make the trek to Cabela’s when the 44-year- old hunting-fishingoutdoor gear retailer opens up a Wal-Mart-sized store in the West Valley near Glendale Arena.

This holiday season, the hottest trend among retailers isn't found on a store shelf. It's taking place at the cash register.

An ancient Chinese art meets 21st-century cyberspace at the Feng Shui Arizona store in Mesa. The store offers items such as calligraphy, Buddha statues and wind chimes that promote peaceful and harmonious living —the goal of feng shui. In fact, owner Lisa Montgomery believes it’s the most complete, if not the only, feng shui store in the Valley.

An ancient Chinese art meets 21st-century cyberspace at the Feng Shui Arizona store in Mesa. The store offers items such as calligraphy, Buddha statues and wind chimes that promote peaceful and harmonious living —the goal of feng shui. In fact, owner Lisa Montgomery believes it’s the most complete, if not the only, feng shui store in the Valley.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a bill that would require Amazon.com to collect sales tax on purchases made by Arizona residents.

SEATTLE - Amazon.com Inc.'s brick-and-mortar competitors have yet another reason to fear the Web: a new service that lets shoppers compare prices and buy things with a few quick taps on their cell phones.

With the holiday shopping season in full force, check thieves are hoping merchants can be caught off guard amid the hustle and bustle.

SEATTLE - Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. called this holiday season its “best ever,” saying Friday that it saw a 17 percent increase in orders on its busiest day — a rare piece of good news in a season that has been far from merry for most retailers, including online businesses.

With a credit card and a few clicks of her mouse, Kay Luster sent Christmas cookie bouquets to a half-dozen friends last year.

U.S. consumers spent nearly $53 billion shopping online last year, industry tracker Jupiter Research said Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — Booming sales on Cyber Monday might have meant savings for consumers, but they could also have meant lost revenue for the state of Arizona, a new report said.

A House panel on Wednesday approved legislation designed to get Gov. Jan Brewer to negotiate the same kind of tax-collection deal with Amazon.com that her counterparts elsewhere have obtained.

A House panel on Wednesday approved legislation designed to get Gov. Jan Brewer to negotiate the same kind of tax-collection deal with Amazon.com that her counterparts elsewhere have obtained.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Karla Rendon stood in front of the vending machine at Maplewood Mall in Saint Paul, Minn., staring at an assortment of items -- diapers, baby wipes, sippy cups, bottles, grape juice and diaper rash ointment.

NEW YORK - Privacy concerns stemming from online shopping rose in 2007, a new study finds, as the loss or theft of credit card information and other personal data soared to unprecedented levels.

PHOENIX — One of the nation’s largest online retailers beat back a bid by state lawmakers Thursday to make it start collecting and paying sales taxes on its purchases by Arizona residents.

PHOENIX -- State senators are poised Thursday to force Internet retail giant Amazon.com to start collecting -- and paying -- sales taxes on its purchases by Arizona residents.

SEATTLE - Forget day trading - the best way to make a buck this holiday season may be to flip your Xbox 360.

WASHINGTON - State and local officials, backed by some of the country's largest retailers, approached Congress on Thursday asking permission to start collecting sales taxes in the mostly tax-free world of Internet shopping.

SAN FRANCISCO — Tax-free shopping is under threat for many online shoppers as states facing widening budget gaps increasingly pressure Amazon.com Inc. and other Internet retailers to start collecting sales taxes from their residents.