Macy’s poor Christmas sales have caused the struggling department store to cut its profit guidance, with its business woes sparking an industry-wide wipeout.

As Black Friday approaches we examine this US retail phenomenon and cherry-pick the differentiators amongst the throng of retailers fighting for holiday-spend.

It's not all a bed of roses for retail in the US, with research from Kantar Retail indicating that consumer confidence, the shift to online shopping and the weather contributed to a decline in shopping...