The 2009 holiday season has officially begun. Early indicators are simultaneously raising hopes and anxieties. October's same-store sales grew 2.1% over 2008's soft numbers, marking the second straight month of gains and showing improvement among both lower-priced and higher-end retailers. But the unemployment rate also rose above 10% for the first time since 1983, and consumer confidence and sentiment were down. Bain believes that retailers can deliver positive growth this holiday season, but that's going to take innovation and action. One solution may well be social networking, a quick, flexible and effective way to connect to consumers. That's the focus of this special edition of our Retail Holiday Newsletter.

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