Clothing Prices Start To Move Higher, as Retailers Test Shoppers’ Reaction

Following a 150 percent rise in cotton prices since August, apparel makers are now turning to cheaper fabrics, and scaling back details like tags and buttons to trim expenses. Further, retailers are also mulling higher prices, with some analysts seeing hikes of 10 to 20 percent by year’s end, the Boston Globe reports. Many stores, which have kept prices flat or lower during the recession, have begun raising prices this spring to test how customers react, and more increases are expected for the upcoming back-to-school season. Some retail analysts... 

Retail Shoppers’ Spending Rose in March, Despite Predictions

Shoppers shrugged off higher gas prices and cool temperatures to give retailers a surprisingly strong March, new reports say. Retail revenue figures extend the streak of solid spending from late last year, and indicate that recent job growth is tempering worries about higher pump prices. “Neither the lack of the Easter Bunny, nor cool temperatures or spiking gas prices could keep consumers at bay,” Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics LLC, a research firm, said in a statement. “There is still a significant amount of pent-up demand. I think... 

Report Says Discount Stores Will Get Business Boost as Consumers Stay Thrifty

U.S. consumers emerged from the recession practiced at stretching their dollars, and now faced with rising food costs they’re turning to the cost savings tactics they’ve mastered over the past few years. That’s the word market research company The NPD Group, which notes that shopping at discount stores is one tactic that shoppers have embraced. “During the recession consumers adopted thriftier spending behaviors, and as time went on they became comfortable with making concessions and getting by with less,” says Dori Hickey, director of... 

River Village Wholesales Incense, Burners and More at Deep Discounts

For retailers seeking a new supplier of incense, they can’t go wrong with a company that started 25 years ago selling it out of a van. “The original owners had a van route, going store to store,” says Suda Kuyt, now manager of North Carolina based River Village. “Eventually, they got so popular they started shipping nationwide, and that’s how the wholesale distributorship started.” With more than 2,000 different skus in stock, River Village has something for every one of its retailers, whether they’re head shops, new age stores, flea... 

Study: Independent Retailers High on the List of Preferred Furniture Stores

Young America, makers of infant-to-teen furniture, has announced the results of a national study with moms across the United States. The study, “All Decked Out: Shopping for Babies and Children,” explored how 300 women, from expectant mothers through moms with teens, shop for children’s items. “We undertook this study to better understand the mindset of mom when she walks in a store looking for items for children,” says Neil Mackenzie, marketing director for Young America. “In the process, we discovered information that dispels stereotypes... 

Local Coupon Giant Valpak Adds Mobile App for Shoppers

Valpak, the company behind those familiar direct mail coupon books offering deals at local merchants, is trying a new channel for delivering discounts — mobile. Valpak is now offering its coupons via the junaio augmented reality app, InternetRetailer reports. Consumers who download the free app to an iPhone or Android device and select “Local Coupons by Valpak” will be able to access discounts to use at businesses near their current locations. The app launches the smartphone’s camera and uses a device’s GPS functionality to overlay on... 

Unique ‘ScrewGrab’ in a Tube Helps Remove Stripped Screws and Bolts

If your customers are mechanics or woodworkers that deal with the ongoing problem of stripped screw heads, the new ScrewGrab product is sure to grab their attention. “The idea behind ScrewGrab is to remove stripped out fasteners easily, without putting in a lot of extra effort,” says company VP, Jeremiah James. “Everyone has had a screw that’s been stripped out and they can’t remove, because there’s nothing to grab onto with the screwdriver,” he notes. ScrewGrab allows the user to remove a stripped screw by filling the voids inside... 

Western Sales and Marketing Has 3D Art at Deeply Discounted Prices

One of the latest trends sweeping the art world is three dimensional art, which makes Western Sales and Marketing uniquely positioned to supply this rapidly growing area. The company’s National Marketing Director, Gary Chandler, says he’s never seen any product sell as quickly as his. “I first saw the product in China and was intrigued by it,” he recalls. “So I purchased a quantity and brought them back with me. I was selling 50 to 70 pictures a day at the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet in 2009,” he says. Convinced that the company had... 

Retail Grocers Push Lawmakers for Federal Swipe-Fee Reforms

Grocers from across the U.S. have met in Washington to urge lawmakers to expedite implementation of debit card swipe fee reform that was included in the bipartisan Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act passed by Congress last year. “Grocery stores make an average profit of less than two cents on the dollar. It’s a very competitive industry,” Leslie G. Sarasin, Food Marketing Institute president and CEO, told Progressive Grocer. “The big banks make more money per transaction from swipe fees than what the store will make... 

Mobile Continues To Grow as Newest Channel for Savvy Retailers

Research published recently by Oracle about mobile retailing provides valuable insights for retailers who are on the fence about jumping into the technology. The “Mobile Trends: Consumer Views of Mobile Shopping and Mobile Service Providers” report finds that mobile commerce is not just growing, but it’s growing dramatically, in that an increasing percentage, nearly a third of shoppers, are making purchases. Further, mobile shopping is not just the bailiwick of 20-somethings. “Mobile is quickly emerging as another channel for retailers,”... 

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