Should New Zealand follow suit?

Spending on travel and home improvement has helped lift retail sales to a record high, with optimism growing among retailers.

Federation Clothing and a sister firm with four Auckland stores has gone into liquidation owing creditors more than $1 million.

Travel and home improvement spend helped lift overall retail sales for the December quarter and retailers are increasingly optimistic about future market changes.

Kiwis spending more on dining out helped electronic card spending rise in January.

An Australian eyewear retailer plans to open up to four more stores in New Zealand.

The already poor reputation of private equity has taken another battering, writes Christopher Niesche.

Hallenstein Glasson shares slumped after the clothing retailer warned its first-half profit had fallen around 20 per cent.

Briscoe Group, whose hostile takeover of Kathmandu Holdings was spurned in 2015, expects to report a record full-year profit of $46.5 million.

We get pushed more than we bargain for all the time, but we still have rights!

Kiwi shoppers are well on the way to adopting consumer behaviors akin to those sweeping Europe and North America.

Kiwis are buying more than just toys and cards at the malls - sales of movie tickets, travel and telecommunications are soaring.

Auckland's inner city shoppers are being targeted by the Warehouse in a new, smaller-sized store.

A social media campaign today saw Countdown bombarded with pleas from consumers to stop stocking caged eggs.

A leading Kiwi children's equipment retailer is recalling up to 1000 cots.

Kylo Ren light sabres and BB-8 droids helped sales of Star Wars toys reach $1 billion in the US.

Momentum for still lower official interest rates is growing following the release of data showing New Zealand inflation was at its lowest point in 16 years.

Mark Powell will hand over The Warehouse Group to successor Nick Grayston this month after a strong Christmas period and strong lift in its forecast net profit.

New Zealand's oldest store trading under its original name shut up shop yesterday afternoon to make way for a David Jones store.

The administrators of failed electronic goods retailer Dick Smith said it was too early provide a view on why the electronics goods retailer collapsed.

First Retail Group director Chris Wilkinson said strong property prices encouraged a culture of "nesting" in consumers.

New Zealanders spent a record $6b shopping in December, the highest ever monthly figure recorded by Statistics New Zealand.

It's been a dramatic rise and fall for Nick Abboud, the Dick Smith boss who entered the ranks of Australia's richest executives after the firm's sharemarket float.

Mitre 10 chair Dippie's Mega stores ordered back to negotiations after misleading union.

Nick Abboud steps down a week after the troubled electronics retailer collapsed.

Warehouse Group is forecasting a 15 percent to 21 percent lift in first-half net profit.

Warning to shoppers to think carefully about purchasing products in a major online sale launched by the embattled electronics seller today.

The receivers of Dick Smith have told employees it may take six-to-eight weeks to determine if the consumer electronics chain can be sold.

Listed jeweller Michael Hill's sales surge in the first half of the financial year helped by a strong performance in Australia.