Seasonal

The fact that Home Depot is hiring 80,000 associates for its busy spring season may not seem like a big deal, but the retailer is arming these employees with unprecedented retailing technology.

Philadelphia – Urban Outfitters Inc. beat Wall Street expectations with its sales for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2014. Total net sales grew 12% to $1.01 billion from $905.86 million.

Same-store sales, including direct-to-consumer sales, rose 6%. For the full year, total net sales increased 8% to $3.32 billion, from $3.09 billion. Same-store sales grew 2%. For both the fourth quarter and full fiscal year, strong growth in the wholesale segment helped push up total net sales.

New York -- Shoppers will be opening both their hearts and their wallets this Valentine’s Day. According to a new study from IBISWorld, total holiday spending will increase 3.8% from 2014, to $139.70 from $134.56.

Revenue from candy is expected to rise 3%, and will maintain its position as the category with the most consistent growth over the past five years. This segment’s popularity is due to its easy availability and its varied pricing based on the manufacturer and quality of ingredients.

Washington, D.C. - Retail industry employment increased by 34,800 jobs in January 2015, as retailers held on and even added to their staffs following the holiday shopping season. According to data from the National Retail Federation, monthly gains occurred in the sporting goods, non-store (e-commerce), and general merchandise store verticals.

Total retail employment increased by 215,600 jobs on a year-to-year basis, according to NRF’s calculations, which do not include automobile dealerships, gasoline stations or restaurants.

A perfect storm is brewing for risqué product sales with Valentine’s day falling on a Saturday and coinciding with the release of the erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey.

Just as retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Kohl’s and Target offer extended hours ahead of Christmas, the 13-unit Hustler Hollywood chain is viewing this weekend’s confluence of events as a major sales opportunity.

Beverly Hills, Calif. -- Adult retail operator Hustler Hollywood is taking advantage of the traffic surge expected by the Valentine's Day weekend release of Universal Pictures' "Fifty Shades of Grey." The retailer announced that select locations will open their doors on the morning of Feb. 13 and remain open round-the-clock until end of business on Valentine's Day.

San Jose, Calif. – Consumers appear to have been feeling a seasonal hangover after what some analysts have called a relatively strong 2014 holiday season. According to the monthly Retail Performance Pulse for January 2015 from RetailNext, store sales and traffic both declined 7.7%

Paris – Valentine’s Day has its origins in ancient Roman times, but that doesn’t mean the holiday isn’t keeping pace with modern technology. By analyzing data from 48 million online transactions made via desktop, smartphones and tablets from more than 200 U.S. retailers, advertising company Criteo determined that three out of 10 Valentine’s Day purchases will be made on mobile.