by Tom Ertler, Miller Zell’s SVP and Creative Director There are shoppers who make their lists, check them twice and have their gifts bought, boxed, wrapped and bowed well before the big day of the season. And then there are the rest – the procrastinators, either too busy to shop early or too perplexed by […]
retail sales
AI’s Role in Helping Retailers with Holiday Pricing & Promotion Strategies
by Jeff Smith In an increasingly competitive landscape, independent retailers face unique challenges. Where once their competition consisted almost solely of nearby physical stores in the same retail sector, today they face an unprecedented and fast-changing array of competitors, from online giants to specialty stores and global discounters. But there is good news as well. […]
Amazon Prime Day Boosts Sales Across Entire Retail Industry
Amazon Prime Day is an annual sale event for Amazon members typically held in mid-July. Prime Day, though recently founded in 2015, quickly grew to one of retail’s biggest shopping days. In 2018, Prime Day brought in over $4.2 billion in sales, with 40 percent of consumers making impulse purchases. The sale includes Amazon’s private […]
2019 Economic and Consumer Outlook
The overarching theme of retail consumers in 2019 is high expectations. Higher consumer confidence, higher wages, innovative startups and emerging technology all contribute to unrelentingly high standards. But, for all of those same reasons small businesses are in a better position now, more than ever, to exceed consumers’ high expectations. Here’s a deeper dive into […]
Brick and Mortar Purchases Account for 83% of Holiday Spending
This holiday season, mobile may have stolen the headlines, but brick and mortar stores continue to steal the sales. Online shopping during the holiday season approached $125 billion. But, according to Adobe, 83 percent of holiday shopping was done in-store. What may come as a surprise is that Millennial and Gen Z shoppers are leading […]
2019 Retail Predictions
Every year, Independent Retailer turns to the experts and asks “What’s Next?” Read on for industry expert takes on challenges retailers will face in 2019, where retailers should focus their energy, how to shake things up this year, and what to prioritize. What will be the biggest challenges retailers face in 2019? Are these […]
Golden Quarter Survival Guide
by Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender It’s that time of year again: The fourth quarter – the Golden Quarter – a crucial time for every retailer. The Golden Quarter is traditionally when most retailers go from being in the red to being in the black. You just can’t afford to mess up because there are […]
Retail Going Green
Like a dog drawn to a bone, millennials are drawn to anything with a “go green” initiative.
Back to School, Back to Stores: Why School Shopping Hasn’t Gone Digital
Back to school shopping is the second biggest spending occasion, after the winter holidays. Each year, back to school and back to college shoppers spend roughly $80 billion.
Back to School Sales Expected to Pass with Flying Colors
The National Retail Federation announced on July 13th that back to college spending is to reach an all-time high this year, while back to school spending is expected to see its second-highest spending level on record.
