SALON

Stores borrow from fast-food industry’s playbook

Topics: From the Wires,

NEW YORK (AP) — This holiday season, Burger King won’t be the only place where you can have it your way.

It used to be enough for stores to promise discounts of up to 70 percent off to lure shoppers during the holiday shopping season. But the ease of ordering online and the sluggish economy has created more demanding U.S. consumers who aren’t impressed by discounts alone. They want their shopping just like their fast food: cheap and convenient.

Retailers from Wal-Mart to Macy’s are trying to make it easier for this crop of finicky shoppers to spend. Several are opening on Thanksgiving Day. Some are offering free layaways and shipping. Many are matching in-store prices with cheaper online deals. And others are allowing shoppers to buy online and pick up merchandise in stores.

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