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This blog will look at the winners and losers in the retail space. Who has the right strategy to capture consumer dollars? It also will look for trends in consumer spending and how that will impact the economy.
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If retailers get sick of blaming the economy for their troubles, there’s always the weather.
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Shoppers on the east coast may not have to brave the elements to deck the halls this season. |
Retailers across the country should benefit this holiday season from fewer deliveries from Mother Nature, like snowstorms that prevent customers from traveling to stores and malls, Planalytics said.
"Consumers are buying at the point of need, making weather matter more important than ever before," said Scott Bernhardt, chief operating officer of Planalytics.
This played out in October, particularly in the eastern half of the U.S., where sales of electric blankets, firewood, cider, cough and cold medicine and soup benefited from chillier temperatures, compared with the same time last year.
Also, with shoppers hitting the malls less often, retailers need to make the most of every trip. (Not to mention the fact that this holiday season will have the second-shortest number of shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. )
The firm is advising its clients how to best schedule their staff to make the most of the workers they have, which is especially important given that many retailers have hired fewer seasonal employees to help with the Christmas crunch.
What to do when the nasty weather strikes? For retailers with Web sites, it’s time to roll out the email promotions in order to catch customers online.
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- It may be the most unusual guide to business you'll read.
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes