Target's recent earnings results showed some positivity going into the shopping holiday season. The company is boasting same-store sales growth, top and bottom lines that edged analyst estimates and growth in digital sales that showed strong momentum. But fourth quarter guidance seemed conservative amid competition, and investors seem to be fleeing the stock as a result.   Read More...

Despite Mattel’s struggles, the toymaker rejected a takeover offer by rival Hasbro, saying the offer “undervalued” the company. It is unclear whether merger talks will continue — or whether antitrust legislators would allow the two to consolidate. The Toys R Us bankruptcy has further damaged a landscape that was already marked by declining sales and profits for both toy companies. What will forging separate paths mean for Mattel, Hasbro and the toy industry as a whole — and, most importantly, for holiday shoppers?  Read More...

Men’s eTailer Touch of Modern sources apparel, accessories, furniture and electronics from all around the world — but that means paying vendors all around the world, too, and that is no easy feat. Co-founder and former COO Jonathan Wu describes the challenges the company faced in its early days, and how teaming up with Israeli startup Tipalti freed it up to not only go global, but also to approach retail in an entirely different way. Read all about it here, and join Wu and PYMNTS' Karen Webster for a deeper dive on Dec. 7.  Read More...