Posts Tagged ‘trends’
by Christina Lee on April 6th, 2009
The best of this season’s denim is anything but the basic blue jean. Shapes that have not been seen since the ‘90s are finally making a comeback, while today’s familiar silhouettes are punched up with colors and embellishments:
The boyfriend jean: Fashion and celebrity spotters can probably easily point out by now who is responsible for this fit’s resurgence: Katie Holmes. And she had actually borrowed her pair from husband Tom Cruise, designers have since made enough pairs for women so that sharing is no longer necessary. The modern twists are its narrowly rolled-up cuffs.
The skinny jean: A pair... Read more »
by Christina Lee on March 15th, 2009
Examine some of the most popular purchases in today’s retailing environment, and you may discover a common thread between them all.
They are what the industry is calling small indulgences, or even little luxuries that consumers are also refusing to give up. They offer high quality without a heavy price, while also a small dose of relief for today’s more stressed-out consumer.
Chocolate
Premium chocolate manufacturer Ghirardelli actually expects 2009 sales to exceed that of 2009, as reported by USA Today. Meanwhile, Cadbury and Nestle saw revenue increase by 7 percent or higher last month.
“Chocolate does fine in a... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on January 1st, 2009
Continuing on with the Top 10 Trends in Small Business, 2009. Now for the Top 5:
5. Web 2.0 tips: Web 2.0 has reached the Tipping Point. Web 2.0 is shorthand for this era of interactive Internet where content is often participant created. YouTube is the most obvious example – the audience creates the Internet experience. Flickr, Slideshare, and even the comments section on USATODAY.com articles do much the same thing.
More significantly, this interactivity has spread to mobile computing, and this presents increased opportunity for small business. Notebooks, smart phones, BlackBerrys, GPS devises, netbooks (small notebooks for mobile Internet),... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on December 31st, 2008
What a difference a year makes!
A year ago, my annual “Top 10 Trends in Small Business” was full of ideas spawned by big changes in technology and the Internet, with things like smart phones and SEO dominating the list.
This year?
While the Web and technology certainly make an appearance, it will be no surprise that many of the dominant trends right now relate to the economy.
And, while I will note again that this is not a prediction column, I should report that my #4 trend last year was eerily prophetic: “2008 looks to be a year dominated... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on September 15th, 2008
Did you know Halloween is the second most popular holiday (after Christmas) in terms of decorating and celebrating? With so many Halloween enthusiasts young and old alike, the year long anticipation for the holiday culminates in an excellent opportunity to increase revenue through costume and party item sales.
Using statistical information, recent surveys and targeted polling as resources, Halloween-News.com predicts the following Halloween trends for 2008:
Adult Costumes
This years movie to watch for will include Batman: the Dark Night, Indiana Jones and The Terminator. Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas are always present. You’ll still see a surge... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on April 15th, 2008
Grab your coconut bras and grass skirts and jump on the organic textiles bandwagon! More and more retailers are beginning to cater to green fashion and it would appear that it’s more than just a fad.
The reason for this? One day not long ago some forward thinking entrepreneurs realized that people will spend bucket loads of money on fashion…so why wouldn’t people do the same for organic clothing as well? They looked around and said to themselves "the only organic clothes available look like burlap sacks!" "Ces’t tres horrible! " they gasped in unison, aghast at the utter disaster... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on April 4th, 2008
Whether you own a brick-and-mortar store or a website, continuously finding new and interesting products is crucial for any store’s success. Having a fresh line of products helps bring new customers in and keeps current customers coming back. What would be the point of returning to a store if they always carried the same thirty items? If you didn’t like anything the first time, why bother going back? With so much competition it the retail arena, it’s important that product sourcing is thought of as ongoing process, rather than something that is done just a couple times a year.
The... 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 »
by Steve Strauss on January 17th, 2008
Last week, I began my annual look at the top ten trends shaping small business. We wrap it up this week with a look at the Top 5.
No. 5: The China syndrome: It has often been said that the 20th Century was the American Century and that the 21st looks to be the Chinese Century. If the past eight years are any indication, that may indeed prove to be true, but whether it is or not, there is no doubt that what is going on half-way around the globe is having, and will continue to have, a profound effect... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on January 8th, 2008
Want bling on your bottled water? This year you will get that and much more, as water makes its market move to premiumization.
When common products proliferate and saturate the market (think tea, coffee and even diamonds) it’s time to come with something new that will make your product stand out again. The answer is premiumization, making the product even more exclusive and desirable. In the case of water, there’s not a lot you can do that hasn’t already been done – from flavorings to rethinking the container, but you can make it posh. Very posh.
That’s what premiumization is... Read more »