Continue reading Chasing Value: Pre-Christmas Quick Takes

Chasing Value: Pre-Christmas Quick Takes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading National Retail Federation Expects Moderate Holiday Sales Increase

National Retail Federation Expects Moderate Holiday Sales Increase originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Despite some early concerns that the action would be slow, seasonal hiring spiked 42% for the retail sector in 2009.

Even though growth was modest -- and based on the depressed baseline set last year -- 547,400 holiday workers showed up at stores across the country to help handle the increased foot traffic and what eventually became a small gain in sales. A year earlier, holiday hiring fell to a 22-year low of 384,300, according to an analysis revealed to BloggingStocks by Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Continue reading Seasonal Retail Hiring Up 42%

Seasonal Retail Hiring Up 42% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Day After Christmas Tops All but Black Friday for Retailers

Day After Christmas Tops All but Black Friday for Retailers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Facebook Tops U.S. Internet Traffic on Christmas

Facebook Tops U.S. Internet Traffic on Christmas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Santa and Eggnog Preside over Stocks (IBM, BRK.A, UAUA, FNM, FRE AAPL)

Closing Bell: Santa and Eggnog Preside over Stocks (IBM, BRK.A, UAUA, FNM, FRE AAPL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Don't Put an Economic Recovery on Your Christmas List

Don't Put an Economic Recovery on Your Christmas List originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Anxious to grab every last dollar they can out of holiday shoppers, retailers are pulling out all the stops. Especially given the snowstorm on the East Coast last week, they have to make up some ground, and time is running out. They lost the Saturday before Christmas, one of the busiest shopping days of the year -- and a favorite of people like me who wait until the last minute.

"Super Saturday," as it's called, was off close to 13% compared to last year, says research firm ShopperTrak. Only $6.9 billion came in, off $1 billion-year-over-year. And, let's not forget that 2008 was a drag. Its $7.9 billion performance was down from $8.7 billion in 2007.

Continue reading With Christmas Looming, Retailers Make Up for Lost Time

With Christmas Looming, Retailers Make Up for Lost Time originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It wouldn't reveal the number, but Amazon (AMZN) did announce that it realized record sales for its Kindle e-reader this month. And, there's still the rest of the month to go, including the run-up to Christmas. Just as the battle for e-reader market share began to flare up, it already seems to be over.

This year, Sony (SNE) released a new e-reader, and Barnes & Noble (BKS) entered the market with its Nook device. Both posted early successes, which quickly became problems. The two companies sold out of inventory and won't be able to ship new orders until the new year.

Continue reading Amazon Kindle Sets Record, E-Reader Race Is Over

Amazon Kindle Sets Record, E-Reader Race Is Over originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There might be something extra in your paycheck this month. A survey of 100 human resource executives, conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, found that 64% of companies are planning to pay holiday bonuses this year, even though they're still worried about expenses in a market that remains difficult. We've clearly come a long way over the past 12 months. Hiring may not have resumed yet, but at least employers are showing that they appreciate their employees ... and are worried about losing them. At this time last year, only 54% were planning to toss a little extra to the staff for the holidays.

And, the bonus checks are getting bigger, at least for a few people. Eight percent of respondents indicated that they are amping up bonus pay, compared to none a year ago. But, 16% say they aren't paying bonuses this year, up from 13% in December 2008. Another 4% are cutting bonus check sizes.

Continue reading Christmas bonuses are back!

Christmas bonuses are back! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading What retailers can benefit from Cyber Monday?

What retailers can benefit from Cyber Monday? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

No, don't expect to see windmills and solar panels -- consumers are leaning toward a different kind of green this holiday season: cash. Rather than hit their credit cards, shoppers will only be spending money they have (and can see and touch). Seventy-one percent of consumers are looking to cash and debit cards as their primary form of payment for holiday shopping this year, which the National Retail Foundation pegs as the highest level since 2005.

This could be a problem for the retailers.

Sure, you'd think that the merchant fees on credit cards make cash more attractive to the sellers. But, Ellen Davis, a spokesperson for the NRF, says that most retailers have found they can talk credit card buyers into up-sells more easily. That leads to a bigger basket size and more revenue. Done successfully, it should comfortably absorb the impact of merchant fees. James Roberts, a marketing professor at Baylor University, adds that using plastic makes consumers more likely to buy at all, let alone more.

Continue reading Shoppers going green for Christmas

Shoppers going green for Christmas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Retailers may lose a revenue lever to pull this upcoming holiday shopping season ... and it could be a big one. The number of shoppers expected to opt for gift cards rather than traditional purchased goods is likely to increase this year, as nobody wants to waste money on a loser present in a tough financial environment.

Gift cards make that problem go away, but flexibility isn't free. Retailers have tacked on a variety of fees to bring in a bit of extra cash from gift card sales, but if the U.S. Federal Reserve gets its way, these fees will be forced sharply lower.

Continue reading Fed to chop gift card revenue stream

Fed to chop gift card revenue stream originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's on your Christmas wish list? If the National Retail Federation is right, gift cards are probably holding a respectable place toward the top of the list. These little pieces of plastic are requested most this time of year, and they have the added perk of allowing people to get what they want instead of money wasted on presents that sucks. This trend may give retailers a hand this year, as they'll be able to keep their inventories down.

If shoppers are slow with the cash, retailers won't have to resort to just slashing prices as they had to last year to move product out the door. When the stuff on the shelves is cheap, gift cards aren't as attractive because there's a deal to be had! This year, if inventories are kept down, gift cards are more likely to move.

Continue reading Retailers offering new perks to encourage gift card giving

Retailers offering new perks to encourage gift card giving originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If Amazon (AMZN) was comfortable with its spot atop the e-reader market, it just got a wakeup call from Barnes & Noble (BKS). The brick-and-mortar book retailer's e-reader, the Nook, which hasn't even hit stores yet, is in pre-order nirvana right now. The first run for the Nook occurred at the end of October (the product was introduced on October 20). These buyers were told the reader would ship on November 30. High demand resulted in backorders, so the next wave of pre-orders was scheduled to ship on December 7. Now, a third group will have to wait until December 11.

This product is on fire, and it still isn't even on shelves yet.

Mary Ellen Keating, a spokeswoman for Barnes & Noble wouldn't reveal how many of these devices have been pre-ordered, but she did say, "Demand for the product in our stores and online has surpassed our expectations." She also noted, "We are working hard to meet demand for the holidays."

Continue reading Barnes & Noble's Nook already makes a splash

Barnes & Noble's Nook already makes a splash originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Consumer spending had its largest fall this year, thanks to the end of the "Cash for Clunkers" program. And, incomes were flat. No change to the money coming in and a drop in the cash going out translates to an impediment to economic recovery.

In September, consumer spending fell 0.5%, the first decline in five months and the worst in nine. Wages and salaries dropped 0.2%, effectively offsetting the 0.2% up-tick in August. The economy did grow in the third quarter of 2009, hinting that the worst recession in 70 years may be coming to a close, but the tough September suggests we still have some work in front of us.

Continue reading Bad September, good Q3 for consumer spending, what's next?

Bad September, good Q3 for consumer spending, what's next? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For retailers, the crucial season is on its way. Blow the Christmas rush, and next year starts off on a miserable foot. Success, of course, also delivers a healthy dose of momentum -- and a little bit of wiggle room, important in what will continue to be a tough economy through at least the first half of next year. For booksellers, now contending with a new variable in the form of digital readers, e-readers will play a major role in defining the winners and losers. So far, it looks like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is off to a great start, and it will take some genuine innovation for the competition to chip away at its market share.

Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS), once the leading names in literary retail, is expected to release its own e-reader this week. It will look a bit like Amazon's Kindle, according to Reuters, but with a touch screen intended to make the reader's experience easier. The price hasn't been disclosed yet, but rumor has it that it'll be higher than the Kindle's $259. BKS is staying mum on its plans in this space. There are others in the space, as well, including IREX Technologies, which is a spinoff of Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG), Asutek (tk: tk) and a project called FirstPaper that has Hearst behind it.

Continue reading Amazon in the lead, but Kindle competition is coming

Amazon in the lead, but Kindle competition is coming originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The new Neiman Marcus Christmas Book looks a bit different this year. Yes, it's still geared toward the typical Neiman clientele, but it reflects the fact that the usual customers may not be doing as well -- or spending as much -- this year as they did last year. The retailer is facing the fact that it will have to sell lower-priced items this Christmas, because that's what the public will have to buy (even the wealthy corner of the public).

Close to half the gifts listed in the 83rd edition of the Neiman Christmas catalog cost less than $250, and some of them are actually practical (though a bit pricey for most people). In the past, the number of gifts at this price-point would be in the 30% to 40% range.

Continue reading Neiman's Christmas Book reflects economic reality

Neiman's Christmas Book reflects economic reality originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

September is drawing to a close. What does this signify? Well, one of my favorite times of the year, Halloween, will soon be upon us. Even more than that, holiday shopping is about to begin in earnest. Is your portfolio ready?

I've been checking around for investments in the retail sector. Problem is, so many of them have already had significant run-ups. However, even with these higher stock prices, the sector still might be an interesting one to look at since it's possible that Christmas could turn out okay. A post on DailyFinance discusses a report from the International Council of Shopping Centers, which basically states that numbers from this holiday season should see an improvement over last year's data.

Continue reading GameStop: Trade idea?

GameStop: Trade idea? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, last night I was checking out some articles at Brandweek.com, and lo and behold, I came across this one discussing the holiday card. You know how Christmas Clubs work at banks, correct? Same principle applies here. In a simple nutshell, you get the plastic, you store funds on it, and then you can access those funds later on in the season to acquire presents. It's basically like a gift card that you use for budgeting purposes. Not only is Sears involved in this, but so is Kmart. And there's a promotion going on that's mentioned in the article where you can earn a nominal amount of bonus money on it. I don't know the details; I would suggest checking with Sears/Kmart for further information.

Continue reading Interesting holiday campaign from Sears Holdings

Interesting holiday campaign from Sears Holdings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.