NRF Video Contest Finalists Left to Public Vote

What is retail? Who better to tell us than those committed to the industry and making a livelihood from it. With sponsorship from the NRF, a national video contest known as “This is Retail,” was launched to learn more about the role of retail in the U.S. Kicking off the contest, NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay, announced, “We’re on a hunt to find the best retail stories in America, from marketing geniuses to customer service superstars to small business owners, who are the fabric of every local community.” Final Round of Judging on... 

Aliz International Updates Licensed Purse Products

Keeping up with fashion is an ongoing process, and retailers are well advised to set aside some time at least every season to stock up on the latest trends in apparel and accessories, including handbags. For retailers to be prepared, their wholesale suppliers such as Aliz International have to put in the leg work, investigating and testing trends for the seasons to come. Working in such a competitive market requires a continual cycle of innovative and new ideas, like Aliz’s recent opportunity to work with Betty Harper in designing an additional... 

Walmart Proves Layaways May Help Retailers Bounce Back

With money and spending the root of much household tension over the past few years, many retailers have tried numerous customer-friendly promotions to get a part of the shopping budget. Among these promotions are integrated marketing campaigns across all available channels, paid shipping expenses, and this past holiday season favorite, layaway programs. Many big box retailers and chain stores have implemented layaway programs to help those consumers fretting over additional debt and worrying about maxing out their credit cards. This is a good way... 

Customer Satisfaction Retail Priority

While any retailer’s ultimate goal is to sell, there are other strategic initiatives that need to be set and met first in order to attain a result of profitability. Retailers are well advised to perform a thorough evaluation of their business and its success in past years as they refocus their top priorities for a new selling year. “Though customers are always a company’s top priority, customer satisfaction will get a huge facelift this year,” says  NRF President and CEO, Matthew Shay, after seeing the results of the Benchmarks for 2011,... 

Retail Receipts Show Increase in January

It was reported that December’s consumer confidence level of 60 was something to be positive about. But the index wasn’t all that saw an increase, as a monthly survey conducted by the Conference Board revealed that more shoppers also believed business conditions were good, with 16.6 percent responding positively, compared with November’s 13.9 percent. How is this increase in consumer confidence actually affecting shopping habits? According to a report on Bloomberg.com, “Sales at U.S. retailers probably increased in January by the most in... 

Retailer’s Represented Via Video: NRF Seeking Contest Submissions

The NRF’s recently launched, nationwide advocacy “Retail Means Jobs” campaign was planned to include not only grassroots activism and old fashioned lobbying, but more specifically: • The launch of www.RetailMeansJobs.com, breaking down the retail industry’s economic impact by state and congressional district. • Advertising in print, radio and online markets. • Social media campaigning through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. • A viral video campaign to highlight the “Faces of Retail.” That viral video campaign is now organized... 

Top Topics and Trends Discussed at Retail’s BIG Show

Scheduled to run Jan. 15 to Jan. 18, NRF sponsored “Retail’s BIG Show” is already making industry headlines and appearing as the topic of many blog posts after its first couple days of presentations and networking. As NRF blogger, Jennifer Overstreet, explains, “From business intelligence to point of service, mobile to kiosks, customer experience revolutions to supply chain optimization, the floor is buzzing with more than 400 exhibitors.” So how does one give a small, succinct summary of Retail’s BIG Show, in order to cover all the... 

Women Remain Frugal and Mobile Remains Frequent

The holidays, while gone, are far from forgotten as industry leaders and market researchers in the retail sector analyze holiday sales and all related data for a glimpse of 2012’s possible shopping trends. A recent study by The NPD Group, Inc., a leading market research company, had two trends it felt were worthy of mentioning going into the new year: women’s shopping habits and smartphone shopping capabilities. Holiday Input Help Forecast 2012 Retail Trends The frugal mindset of the female consumer, according to multiple studies by NPD, appeared... 

2011’s Taxing Topic for Retailers: The Fairness of Sales Tax Collecting

Retailers online and offline will have more in common than they think if Congress makes a decision to support three recent legislative proposals on the topic of online sales tax. “With three bills offered in just over three months, Congress has gotten the message and is ready to act,” says Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO. The National Retail Federation (NRF) strongly supports legislation that would make it easier for states to require all retailers (brick and mortars and e-tailers alike) to collect sales tax and to do so in the same manner. What... 

Smaller Retailers Find a Place at Retail’s BIG Show

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, a frequented venue by leading buyers and sellers in the wholesale and retail industry, will be hosting Retail’s BIG Show 2012 as one of its first events of the new year. Scheduled to run Jan. 15 to Jan. 18, the four day event offers unparalleled education, collegial networking, and an enormous EXPO Hall full of technologies and solutions. As the event website boasts, “Anyone who is in retail has a home at Retail’s BIG Show,” from the C-Level and Senior Execs who make up 39 percent of... 

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