While actual sales on Black Friday dipped by about 2 percent, overall sales (including Thanksgiving night and the duration of the weekend) rose by 2 to 3 percent. In my opinion, that’s the real news because Black Friday has turned into more than just a one-day event. But I think retailers need to think critically […]
Retail Rap
Going mobile
Coming into the holiday shopping season, there has been a lot of talk about consumers utilizing their smartphones and mobile apps for shopping. I think this is a fascinating area with a lot of potential, but for now the number of shoppers actually using their smartphones to make purchases is unimpressive. In my latest Retail […]
Special Deliveries
Walmart recently unveiled their new “Walmart To Go” service offering customers same-day delivery of online orders for just $10. In this edition of Retail Rap, I discuss some of the positives and negatives I see to this new service and offer some ideas on how it could impact brick-and-mortar retail shopping in the future. If […]
Taking Stock(s)
Retail numbers appear to be trending upward, a fact that was further illustrated by the recent success of the S&P Retail Index – and I don’t think we’ve seen these numbers peak just yet. In the latest edition of Retail Rap, I share my thoughts on this new-found stock market strength and how it could […]
Christmas in September?
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, […]
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 […]
