Retail

Apple to steal business from malls this Christmas: Analyst

Christmas 100 days away: Hot gifts
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Christmas 100 days away: Hot gifts

This holiday season, traditional mall retailers will likely find that Apple has taken a bite out of their business, one retail analyst told CNBC Monday.

"It's going to be a decent Christmas, but it's going to be driven in a very different direction from last year with the launch of the iPhone and some other things that are going on," Mary Epner, principal of Mary Epner Retail Analysis, said in an interview with CNBC's "Power Lunch."

"That's going to take some business away from some of the traditional mall retailers."

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In addition to the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and the phones' accessories, she expects gift cards to be given in anticipation of the Apple Watch, which is expected to be released in early 2015.

Customers shop at the Somerset Collection shopping mall in Troy, Michigan.
Getty Images

With 100 days left until Christmas, industry experts are closely watching to see what trends develop.

Apparel sales have been "terrible" over the past few years, with no big trend driving purchases, SW Retail Advisors' Stacey Widlitz told "Power Lunch."

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"Technology has been eating into apparel sales; so has footwear," she said. "This year, investors are really hoping…that that is going to change and there will be a trend."

When it comes to investing, Widlitz would stick with "consistent players" like L Brand, TJX and Ralph Lauren.

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Epner thinks J.C. Penney, Kohls and Macy's will benefit this season.

—By CNBC's Michelle Fox.