Kaomi Goetz

U.S. retailers are looking to add more than 700,000 jobs this holiday season — about the same as last year. But retailers may have a harder time filling those jobs because of a shrinking labor pool.

Travelers will find gasoline prices are down considerably from last Thanksgiving. But consumer confidence is slumping too. So AAA, the auto club, says it expects to see a dip in holiday travel, compared with 2012.

The coffee giant recently partnered with the Rodarte fashion house to offer a holiday collection. It's the latest example of high-end designers teaming up with mass-market retailers to make money while showing their work to a broader audience.

Some of today's offices barely resemble their predecessors: grey, steel furniture is giving way to bright colors, soft fabrics and warm lighting. Manufacturers say the trend speaks volumes about the work force employers want to attract.