As parents and students begin preparing for the upcoming school year in the coming weeks, retailers have already begun rolling out their back-to-school shopping strategies and promotions. This year, several specialty retailers like Apple, Pottery Barn Kids and Bed, Bath & Beyond have dug in a little harder with back-to-school promotions, with Bed, Bath & […]
Target
The Price is Right?
Target made headlines recently by announcing that the price-match guarantee that we saw during the holiday shopping season will now be a full-time offer throughout the year. I’m sure I wasn’t the only retail analyst who saw how big of a deal this could end up becoming. But a closer look at the fine print […]
Off Target?
Target unleashed a new “colorful” ad campaign recently, but I feel that it missed the mark. I discuss why I feel this way and what it could mean for Target in the latest edition of Retail Rap, my twice monthly column for Chain Store Age. I have to admit, this ad missed the mark a […]
Big Names – Small(er) Stores
Many retailers are downsizing their operations and squeezing into buildings with less square footage that feature more effective store plans. In this week’s Retail Rap column, I discuss this trend, how different retailers are implementing it and how I see it effecting both the companies looking to make changes and consumers who shop at these […]
2008 holiday sales to increase
I was surprised to see the National Retail Federation is estimating a 2.2 percent increase in holiday sales this year. From my perspective, I think we’ll be lucky to see any increase. When you take into consideration the fact that inflation is currently 5 percent higher than it was this time last year, and could […]
