Did you hear?… Retail groups predict fate of holiday sales, free online shipping and more

Mere months away and the predictions are pouring in -- not for the upcoming presidential election, but the state of this year's holiday shopping season. Various retail groups, economists and analysts are forecasting the 2008 holiday season will have the weakest sales gains in 17 years. A dismal thought for some retail operations as the holidays can account for up to 40 percent of their annual revenue.