Winter Holidays

Earlier promotional shift, late Hanukkah to affect shopping season

With each passing year, it seems like the twinkly lights, newspaper inserts and door busters galore start earlier and earlier. The 2014 holiday season will be no different. As stores pull out all the stops to offer holiday promotions as early as possible this upcoming season, consumers will continue to shift their shopping dollars to November.

When the clock strikes midnight on Halloween, it will kick off the official holiday shopping season, which is measured from Nov.

Sandy Kennedy, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), has offered her two cents on the standoff surrounding the union negotiations at the West Coast ports.

Kennedy addressed a letter to the heads of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), speaking on behalf of retailers who are experiencing uncertainty and instability over the ongoing conflict.

Arlington, Va. -- The president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, Sandy Kennedy, has sent a letter to the heads of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) urging them to remain focused on securing a new, long-term contract in the immediate future to ensure stability at the west coast ports. The letter reflects the growing angst among the retail community over the lack of a new agreement.

New York - Imports to the U.S. were up in July from June, and there was a measurable year-over-year increase. According to a new report from supply chain research firm Panjiva, July 2014 showed levels of imports 2% higher than imports in July 2013.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart Inc. reported net income of $1.7 million for the second quarter, reduced from $3.4 million last year on higher healthcare costs.

Total sales increased 2.5% to $298.2 million, while same-store sales increased 1.3%, the retailer’s ninth consecutive quarter of comparable store sales gains.

Bentonville, Ark. -- A day after announcing a disappointing second quarter, Wal-Mart Stores has made an aggressive holiday promise to its customers: the world’s largest retailer says it will staff every cash register from the day after Thanksgiving through the days just before Christmas during peak shopping times.

Wal-Mart’s "checkout promise" is aimed at addressing lengthy waits in checkout lines.

New York – Although Macy’s Inc. reported a 4% increase in net income to $292 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, from $281 million in the same period a year earlier, the company still missed Wall Street expectations. Leftover merchandise from a sluggish first quarter helped keep Macy’s profit growth down.

Washington, D.C. -- The Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import volume at major U.S. container ports is expected to hit an all-time record in August.
 
Retailers concerned about the lack of a West Coast longshoremen’s contract are rushing to bring holiday season merchandise into the country, according to NRF.

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Home furnishings retailer West Elm is launching what it calls “We Love Local Small Business Grant” contest, designed to support U.S.-based artists, makers and designers as they grow and scale their businesses.

The contest launches Aug. 12 with open online submissions, followed by in-store portfolio reviews in five stores across the country. The public will vote online for one of 20 finalists selected by West Elm, and the winner will be announced on Nov. 19.

Home furnishings retailer West Elm, the fast-growing division of Williams-Sonoma with 58 stores and counting, plans to launch a contest called “We Love Local Small Business Grant.”

Designed to support U.S.-based artists, makers and designers as they grow and scale their businesses, the small business grant contest will this week with open online submissions.