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Winter Holidays

  • Slower CE spending trends reflected in Best Buy hiring plans

    MINNEAPOLIS — While other retailers are beefing up their sales staff ahead of the holiday season, Best Buy Co. said Tuesday that it has cut its 2011 seasonal hiring plans to about half of last year’s staff numbers, in a move to curtail costs. This year’s plans call for 15,000 holiday workers, compared with 29,000 hired last year.

  • Toys"R"Us exclusive brand reimagined

    WAYNE, N.J. — Ahead of the holiday season, Toys"R"Us has announced the redesign of Imaginarium, further emphasizing its focus on exclusives this year. The company has revamped Imaginarium, the company's exclusive, specialty learning brand. The brand has been given an updated logo and 50 new products designed to promote childhood development by stimulating visual, auditory and manual senses. Toys"R"Us announced that it is inviting customers to experience the Imaginarium redesign at special in-store shops beginning Oct.

  • Best Buy to cut seasonal staff by half during holidays

    Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. said Tuesday that it has cut its 2011 seasonal hiring plans to about half of last year’s staff numbers, in a move to curtail costs. This year’s plans call for 15,000 holiday workers, compared with 29,000 hired last year.

  • Holiday spending intentions bode well for value retailers

    SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — New research from Nielsen shows consumers will be practical and focused on value during the upcoming holiday season, which bodes well for Target as one on the nation’s leading toy retailers and top destination for gift givers.

  • Macy's boosts seasonal hiring in anticipation of holiday sales

    CINCINNATI — While research groups are predicting various results for holiday spending, such retailers as Macy's Inc. are hoping that expectations for increased spending will prove to be right and are boosting seasonal hiring in preparation. Macy’s Inc. said it plans to hire approximately 78,000 seasonal associates for its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers nationwide for the 2011 holiday season.

  • Retail CFOs expect 3% increase in total 2011 sales, M&A activity rises

    Amid economic uncertainty and low consumer confidence levels, retail CFOs are expecting a 3% increase in total 2011 sales, according to a recent survey by BDO USA. While the number reflects the study’s most optimistic sales forecast since 2007, it is down from the 4.7% sales increase reported by the Commerce Department in 2010.

  • Macy’s to increase holiday hires by 4%

    Cincinnati -- Macy’s said it plans to hire approximately 78,000 seasonal associates for its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers nationwide for the 2011 holiday season. The total is up about 4% from the approximately 75,000 seasonal associates the chain hired last year.

    “We expect additional hiring this year given the continued sales growth in our business – both in-store and online,” said Terry J. Lundgren, Macy’s, chairman, president and CEO.

  • Deloitte forecasts 2.5% to 3% increase in holiday sales

    New York City -- Retailers should expect small gains in 2011 holiday sales, Deloitte forecast on Monday. The company’s retail & distribution practice expects total holiday sales to reach between $873 and $877 billion, representing a 2.5 to 3% increase over last season.

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