Winter Holidays

Mark Tritton, chief merchandising officer of Target, discusses the chain’s holiday strategy of emphasizing low prices as well as highlighting private-brand clothes and splurges for the season in an interview with the Associated Press.  

The U.S. shopper’s love affair with the off-price channel shows no signs of winding down any time soon.       Ross Stores easily beat analysts’ expectations as its earnings increased 13% in the quarter ended Oct. 29, amid better-than-expected revenue growth and stronger margins.   

A majority of shoppers, 81%, intend to do most of their spending in physical stores during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Nov. 24-27). This total increases to 95% when you include consumers who will shop at those same physical retailers’ online channels (omnichannel retailers).   These are among the findings of the “2016 Black Friday Consumer Survey” from International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).   

Retailers had better watch out, as ’tis the season for fraud — especially in an age of omnichannel retail.    Omnichannel retailing opens up new avenues for fraudsters — especially during the holidays, according to the “Annual Holiday Fraud Index” from Radial. The study, based on data from hundreds of clients and billions of data elements, reveals Europay, Mastercard, Visa (EMV), cross-border, and digital gift card trends that could put retailers’ bottom lines at risk.  

Consumers are warming up their fingers as they prepare to shop on Cyber Monday.   As more of these shoppers (63%) flock online for Cyber Monday, 54% will use a desktop or laptop. Twenty five percent (25%) of shoppers plan to use a smart phone or tablet, but 21% will use a combination of all of these devices, according to “Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Thanksgiving 2016,” a report from Perk, an engagement platform provider. The study is based on responses from 670 Perk users between Nov. 1-8, 2016.   

As shoppers use more devices to shop their favorite brands, it is not surprising that digital shopping will drive retail holiday sales.   This message was delivered in Nielsen's 2016 holiday trend report, which tapped 1,159 adults aged 18 years and older. As of Nov. 11, online shopping was outpacing in-store visits, with 58% of shoppers already purchasing their holiday gifts online compared to 40% that went to big-box retail stores, and 25% who visited department stores.  

Forty percent of U.S. consumers plan to spend more this year than during the 2015 holiday shopping season, driven by better job prospects and an improving economy.     That’s one of the findings of the A.T. Kearney 2016 Holiday Shopping Survey, which was conducted online from Oct. 24 – Oct. 25, 2016.   

Most experts agree that the busiest day of this year’s holiday shopping season is likely to be Saturday, Dec. 17. But what about shoppers who want to avoid the crowds?   According to RetailNext Inc., Tuesday, Nov. 29 will afford the widest berths in malls and stores.  

Walmart on Thursday posted third-quarter earnings that managed to beat analysts' expectations even as net sales fell short.     The retailer also lifted the lower end of its full-year guidance and expressed confidence going into the holiday season.    Walmart’s net income fell to $3.03 billion, or 98 cents per share, in the quarter ended Oct. 31, which was two cents more than the Wall Street consensus according to Bloomberg.  

U.S. online holiday spending will reach $112 billion in 2016, growing 13% over 2015.    That is according to Forrester’s Holiday Retail Sales Forecast, which said that while online sales are 12% of annual retail sales, they jump to 16% of total holiday sales during the November and December months.