May Sees More Saving Than Spending

Retailers were beginning to release a sigh of relief after April’s sales report. Increased hiring and a late Easter holiday raised same-store sales 8.7 percent compared to April 2010. May’s results, however, may have some retailers holding their breath once again. As the Wall Street Journal reports, “The 25 retailers tracked by Thomson Reuters posted 4.9 percent growth in May same-store sales, missing expectations for a 5.4 percent gain.” Although any growth in sales is good after the recent economic downturn, this was the first miss since... 

Spending Split for North American Neighbors

Although similarly experiencing food and fuel price increases, American and Canadian neighbors are displaying different shopping habits. According to new global research from Boston Consulting Group, to be released in June, Canadians are feeling frugal, while Americans are spending with confidence. Boston Consulting’s data shows, “a six percent increase among Canadians (63 percent overall) who say they plan to shave their spending on non-essentials in the next year compared with a 19 percent drop among Americans (62 percent overall) who will... 

Keeping Up to Date on Retailer Rebates

A rebate, an evolved form of couponing, provides reimbursement for part of a product’s or service’s purchase price following its sale. By offering your consumers cash back on the purchase price, rebates provide an incentive to buy a particular product. If you are going to offer rebates, however, anticipation of interest is important. You may be aware of the fact that a surprising amount of rebates are never redeemed, about 40 to 60 percent, according to ConsumerAffairs.com, but this isn’t guaranteed and you don’t want to be burdened by the... 

April Shows Boost in Retail Business

Gas pump prices, as high as they’ve been in the first quarter, appear to be counter-balanced by payroll increases. According to a Bloomberg report, “Payrolls grew by 244,000 last month, the seventh straight monthly gain, after increasing a revised 221,000 the prior month…” Although regular fuel averaged $3.81 a gallon in April, consumers back on payroll and receiving a consistent paycheck were willing to fill their tanks and invest in a little shopping, supporting previous predictions. It was previously reported on IndependentRetailer.com... 

Small Business Book: Guide to Toppling Chain Store Giants

For those of you looking to face chain store competition head on, making main street retail known again, Stephen Denny’s newly released novel, Killing Giants, could give you the strategic insight you need. Denny’s 10 strategies for small businesses have received rave reviews. For instance, one reviewer writes, “The reader can take and use one or more of the 10 strategies that are practical, while discarding others. The book is a fast read for a business book with the strategies that the author writes about having come from real life companies... 

Omni-channel Retail a Reality in Demand Forecasting

Demand forecasting, according to Wikipedia, is the operational activity of estimating the quantity of a product or service that consumers will purchase. Unfortunately, today’s demand forecasting activity continues to be built around a store-centric demand model. Yet, as Retail Systems Research (RSR) explains in a benchmark report titled, “Omni-Channel Fulfillment and the Future of Retail Supply Chain,” current business and supply-chain models assume that the store is the endpoint of a transaction. Without the acknowledgement of multi or omni-channel... 

Small Retail Businesses Review and Update Loss Prevention Activities Post Recession

Loss prevention, as defined by Wikipedia, encompasses all profit (economic) preservation activities across the whole retailing business spectrum. It is a necessary management activity for brick and mortar retailers, as well as the increasing population of online retailers. Loss prevention is critical , especially as an organization faces a shortfall in its growth and gross profit margins. According, to Retail Systems Research (RSR), at the peak of the recession, research showed that, “44 percent of survey respondents reported their shrink management... 

Home Equity Loans in the Boom Led to Today’s Small Business Credit Problems

Many small business owners finance their companies by borrowing money personally and putting the proceeds of their loans into their businesses, or by pledging personal assets as collateral to obtain business loans. Yet because the biggest asset most people have is their homes, this means that a sizable chunk of small business owners rely on home equity to finance their companies. With that in mind, did small business owners’ borrowing against their homes during the real estate boom sow the seeds of their current problems getting credit? A survey... 

State Leaders and Independent Retailers Stand Strong on State Sales Tax

As revealed in a past IndependentRetailer.com Business Update, titled, “Business Update: CT Legislation Taxing Topic for Online Retailers,” a competitive business environment requires tax fairness, and it has been far too long that online retail giants, such as Amazon, have been flying under the radar in regards to the collection of state sales tax. Taxable online purchases once an issue in New York, have begun to plague other states such as Connecticut, Texas, South Carolina, and many more. CT Mirror reporter, Keith Phaneuf, claims, “While... 

Dynamic Merchants Helps with the Dynamics of Electronic Purchase Processing

Your business and bottom line depend on sales. Making the most sales is possible when meeting consumers’ expectations. In today’s fast-moving world, the customer is expecting to shop and checkout at a pace that is fitting to their busy schedule. Therefore, to make sales and profit you must invest in electronic purchasing options. Retailers should be prepared to handle the preferred method of payment, taking credit cards in a secure and efficient manner and giving customers comfort and motivation to buy things. Understanding Credit Card Processing As... 

« Previous Page — Next Page »