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Winter Holidays

  • Look what Santa put under Whole Foods' tree

    Whole Foods has a tendency to zig when other retailers zag and it is doing just that with a new line PBS Kids branded toys this holiday season.

    No bright shiny plastic toys will be found on Whole Foods shelves. Instead, the natural grocer struck a deal with PBS Kids to offer a line of educational and sustainable wooden toys and plush products for kids ages six months to three years. Each item in the PBS Kids line is made with safe, non-toxic materials and inks, and all packaging is made from recycled materials, according to the companies.

  • Nielsen: Holiday spending to increase 1.9%

    New York –- Holiday spending among U.S. consumers is expected to rise 1.9% in 2014 compared to the prior year. According to the 2014 Nielsen Holiday Retail Sales Forecast, which surveyed more than 25,000 demographically representative American households in September, 25% of respondents had already started holiday shopping in September.

  • Report: UPS expects six days busier than peak of 2013 holiday season

    Atlanta –- United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) is reportedly forecasting that six days in the upcoming holiday season will be busier for shipping packages than its busiest day in the 2013 holiday season. According to Bloomberg, UPS predicts it will deliver 585 million packages in December, an 11% year-over-year increase.  

  • Kohl’s to open 6 p.m. Thanksgiving, offer omnichannel holiday services

    Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores will open its doors at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and remain open through midnight Friday, Nov. 28. The retailer will also offer a variety of omnichannel holiday services, including a daily “Today’s Deals” section on Kohls.com.  

  • Report: Wal-Mart testing holiday price-matching

    Bentonville, Ark. –- Wal-Mart is reportedly testing a price-matching program it may use for the upcoming holiday season. According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart is currently piloting price-matching with local competitors in brick-and-mortar stores but may expand the program nationally and include online competitors like Amazon.com.  

  • Taxes hit Blue Nile income in Q3

    Seattle –- A switch from an income tax benefit to income tax expense helped drive a reduction in net income at online jewelry retailer Blue Nile Inc. during the third quarter of fiscal 2014. Blue Nile reported net income of $1.65 million, down 43% year-over-year from $2.9 million. Net sales increased 7% to $105.8 million compared to $98.9 million. The company remains optimistic for the remainder of the year.  

  • Report: Black Friday top date for card present fraud

    San Mateo, Calif. –- Last year, Black Friday was the top date for “card present” (CP) fraud, where a payment card is presented in a store for unauthorized usage. Data science company Feedzai analyzed data representing $750 billion in payment volume and more than 17.5 billion transactions in both card present (CP) and card not present (unauthorized online card purchases, or CNP) environments.  

  • Lower gas prices won’t ensure happy holiday

    Retailers are in for a “humbug holiday” with a 3.4% overall increase in sales and a deceleration in e-commerce growth, according to a new forecast from retail industry consulting and research firm Customer Growth Partners.

  • Amazon drives online urgency with daily deals

    Get it before it’s gone is the message Amazon is sharing with holiday shoppers as it looks to drive sales of limited duration “Lightning Deals” supported by enhanced same day delivery capabilities.

    Amazon’s countdown to Black Friday and then Christmas involves a strategy of featuring roughly 15,000 products the online retailer promotes as Lightning Deals because of reduced pricing during a tight promotional window.

  • Incandescent era comes to an end at Meijer

    Technological advancements and shifting shopper expectations have prompted Meijer and GE Lighting to embark on a major merchandising and first-of-its-kind education initiative.

    As incandescent bulbs continue to disappear, the retailer and its largest light bulb supplier are creating a new shopping experience which will help shoppers navigate the many new options available as they prepare for the longer winter nights.

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