Posts Tagged ‘holiday shopping’
by Christina Lee on April 16th, 2009
What this year’s most popular Mother’s Days gifts will have in common: slashed price tags to best fit smaller budgets.
“Discounted digital cameras, books and apparel still show mom how much she is appreciated,” said Tracy Mullin, president of the National Retail Federation.
For the first time since 2006, U.S. consumers are also choosing discount stores over department stores. However, the specialty store remains their top destination, according a survey conducted by the D.C.-based trade group and BIGresearch.
“No one will forgo celebrating Mother’s Day because of the bad economy, but they will put careful thought into what they buy... Read more »
by Christina Lee on January 21st, 2009
As retail experts analyzed slumping holiday retail sales, they quickly placed part of the blame on the shorter shopping season, with five less days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than in 2007. However, as a recent study finds, 2008’s online consumers actually browsed more, prolonging the season for more than as seen in years.
According to Oneupweb, a search engine and marketing company, the week of Halloween, Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, became the biggest for sales and conversion rates of the holiday season – indicating that customers began shopping even earlier. Returns, gift cards and after-Christmas bargains then led to... Read more »
by Christina Lee on December 22nd, 2008
Recent consumer behavior studies revealed that last-minute shoppers may impact holiday season sales more than ever this year.
As of Dec. 16, while the average consumer completed 47.1 percent of their shopping – down 52.6 percent from last year – over 41 million people had not even started, according to the National Retail Federation.
Most of these consumers will be looking for apparel, while 40.8 percent will shop for books, CDs, movies and video games. They ranked discounter, department and specialty stores as their three most popular shopping destinations for the rest of their holiday shopping.
Last-minute shoppers are also... Read more »
by Christina Lee on December 3rd, 2008
Back in October, more than 44 percent of consumers said they planned to purchase holiday gifts online, according to a National Retail Federation survey. After all, the Internet provides convenience without crowds, not to mention a great number of gifting possibilities.
But so many options for consumers could bring too much competition for small business owners – that is, unless they properly prepare their Web site for the holiday season. Not only must they provide a reason to shop, but they must also promote that reason extensively.
Small business owners should first create a list a keywords that will lead... Read more »
by Christina Lee on November 11th, 2008
In attempts to prepare for the upcoming and largely unpredictable holiday season, retail stores and experts debate whether they can rely again on back-to-school sales figures for answers.
Including back-to-college sales, back-to-school spending makes up the second largest retail season of the year. Nielsen predicted, then confirmed through findings that this past season was “shorter but more intense.” Consumers had waited for more aggressive sales and promotions to appear as the first day of school drew near.
In anticipation of a slower season, retailers cut back-to-school inventories in anticipation of a slower season, according to The New York Times .... Read more »
by Christina Lee on October 31st, 2008
As expected from bargain shoppers over the years, more than 40 percent of consumers have already started their holiday shopping, according to the National Retail Federation.
But over the past four holiday seasons, consumers as a whole have grown more cautious and calculative. This year, they plan to spend an average of $832.36 on holiday-related shopping – a mere 1.9 percent increase from last year, and the lowest increase anticipated since 2002.
Wholesalers in addition to discounters should do relatively well this season, said Michael Niemira, International Council of Shopping Centers chief economist and director of research.
“Not surprisingly, big-ticket... Read more »
by Christina Lee on October 28th, 2008
Last month, the National Retail Federation found that more than a third of Halloween consumers still planned to buy a costume, while spending an average of $39.31. Based on their observations, the organization theorized that consumers were still looking for a way to escape life’s daily stresses – and, perhaps, that Halloween was the answer.
This Halloween retail season will last longer than last year’s, with Halloween on a Friday rather than a Wednesday. This could mean for retailers that “their strongest sale days are yet to come,” said Howard Beige, executive vice-president of Rubie’s Costume Company.
As for costume... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on February 13th, 2008
There’s a tradition in my family that for any occasion that warrants a card, especially birthdays, the meaner the card is the better. We often try to out do the other contenders and the result is often big laughs. The more insulting the card, the more you’re loved–we have an understanding.
We’re not the only people who share this fun, albeit unusual, tradition and with Valentine’s Day upon us, it appears that businesses are beginning to cash in on this quirky trend. For example, American Greetings Corp. has an entire category of "Anti-Valentine’s Day" cards.
And they’re not the only... Read more »