Summer was barely over before retailers began putting holiday decorations on display and announcing layaway program incentives. In the latest edition of Retail Rap, I look at what this early push could mean for the holiday shopping season and how it could impact consumers. While the specific terms of each of these layaway promotions vary, […]
Archives for September 2012
Reversing the trend: From digital to physical stores
Reversing the trend: From digital to physical stores Kavita Kumar/St. Louis Post-Dispatch Count Kristina Starr among the ranks of business owners who still believe in the power of bricks-and-mortar stores. When you walk into her vintage modern furniture and home décor store at 3189 South Grand Boulevard, it feels like you’re walking onto the set […]
Stamps, laundry go together in Allentown
Stamps, laundry go together in Allentown Authorized post office opens in laundromat in South Mountain neighborhood Tyrone Richardson/The Morning Call Rain, sleet — and now a spin cycle – won’t thwart your package drop-offs and stamp purchases if you live in Allentown’s South Mountain neighborhood. A U.S. Postal Service contract unit, or authorized dealer, recently […]
Politics and the Holidays: How the Presidential election will likely impact our industry
The results of the November presidential election could have a significant impact on how retailers approach their holiday sales. In the latest edition of Retail Rap, I discuss what I anticipate will happen if Romney wins and if Obama wins and what that could mean for holiday shoppers. While I don’t pretend to know what […]
Another local splash in retail’s resurgence
Another local splash in retail’s resurgence John Hielscher/Sarasota Herald-Tribune Tampa residents Amy Riddell and Christian Estrada showed up at 3 a.m. Friday to make sure they would be the first customers inside the new Trader Joe’s in Sarasota. When the grocer’s doors opened five hours later, the store was still dark, but they were first […]
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s John Hielscher/Sarasota Herald-Tribune Bells will clang Friday in Trader Joe’s to summon help for shoppers or to bring in additional cashiers to check them out when the trendy grocer opens its avidly awaited Sarasota store at 4101 S. Tamiami Trail. But that will not likely be the only noise that follows the chain’s […]