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CE report offers holiday recap, 2012 outlook
Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Las Vegas, Market Research Solutions (MRS) is out with a new report that provides unconventional insights into the 2011 holiday season and outlook for 2012.
The Tampa, Fla.-based research firm surveyed 272 department managers in early December at such retailers as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Hhgregg and dominant regional players to gain a unique perspective on a category of business that is the most dynamic in retail. Among some of the key findings MRS provided exclusively to RetailingToday.com were:
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Discounters and department stores turn in mixed results for December
New York City -- The nation’s discounters and department store retailers turned in mixed results for December, with many chains citing unseasonably warm weather that sapped demand for cold-weather merchandise.
“Cold-weather categories, which are highly profitable and represent approximately 25% of our business in December, were down mid-teens on a percentage basis,” said Tony Buccina, vice chairman, president – merchandising, The Bon-Ton Stores, whose December same-store sales fell 0.7%. The company widened its loss forecast.