Retail
January 20, 2021
Some retailers are having difficulties meeting consumer demand. Image credit: National Retail Federation
By Sarah Ramirez
The 2020 holiday season may have given retailers a glimpse of what to expect in what is predicted to be another disruptive year.
{"ct":"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","iv":"4271e4652b525226f4602f2d6f83b83b","s":"9f7e6f51a71509fb"}
Share your thoughts. Click here