Seasonal

Reductions in food-stamp benefits and falling grocery prices took a toll on Dollar General Corp.’s third-quarter performance which came in below expectations and included an unexpected drop in same-store sales.   The company reported a profit of $235 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, in the quarter, compared to net income of $253 million, or $0.86 per diluted share, in the year ago period. Its profit included a charge of about 5 cents per share for store relocation costs and disaster-related expenses.  

Wayfair not only dominated during Cyber Week — it hit a company high.    The pure play home furnishings retailer reported a 52% increase year-over-year in direct retail gross sales (defined as dollars of order intake) for the five-day peak shopping period of Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. The growth rate of total company gross sales was 46% YOY during the same period.   

Cart abandonment is a very real problem during the holiday season, but mobile users are giving up on orders most often.   These details were revealed in an infographic from Barilliance that detailed shopping behavior among 50 million consumers between Nov. 25 and Nov. 28.   

This holiday season shoppers will see many new high-tech and digital advancements in stores, from self-service kiosks and free Wi-Fi to mobile pay and retail apps. In the coming years, shoppers may even find robots helping them face-to-face.  

It’s a rough time for many teen apparel retailers and the holiday season may not bring much relief.   American Eagle Outfitters Inc. on Wednesday issued a weaker than expected forecast for the fourth quarter as its CEO cited a “tough” retail environment. Its warnings issues similar statements from the likes of Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap.    

It seems that cybercriminals never sleep no matter where you are in the world. The Information Commissioners Office released data showing that cyberattacks and breaches nearly doubled from 2015 to 2016 in the U.K.   

Move over Cyber Monday, Cyber Week is the new buzz term.    Cyber Week, comprised of Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 23 through Cyber Monday, Nov. 28, is attracting more shoppers as they “grow more and more comfortable shopping on their phones and tablets, opening up the timetable for brands to reach them during the holiday shopping season," said Tony Zito, CEO, Rakuten Marketing.  

Tiffany & Co.’s sterling jewel — its flagship on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue — is feeling the impact of beefed up security and protests at Trump Tower, which is located next door to the store.     Since the election, Tiffany said its flagship, the retailer’s largest location and a tourist magnet, has seen an “adverse effect” and sales softness” compared with the year before and relative to the company’s other U.S. stores. And it sees no quick fix of the problem.