Apparel

Boston – A vast majority of shoppers say meaning is the most important factor in choosing a holiday gift to purchase. According to a new survey from online marketplace CustomMade, more than 90% of buyers surveyed said that the most important factor in choosing a gift this holiday season was its meaning to the recipient, while only 18% of respondents found an item’s low price to be highly important to their purchase decision.

Canton, Mass. – Men’s big-and-tall apparel retailer Destination XL reported a loss of $4.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2013, up from $1.6 million a year earlier.

Net sales dropped fractionally to $88.2 million from $88.7 million, partially offset by a 4.4% increase in same-store sales.

Buoyed by its performance during Back to School season, Hibbett Sporting Goods sounded an optimistic tone regarding the holidays after reporting a surprisingly strong third quarter comp increase.

The operator of 904 stores in 31 states said its same store sales increased 4.8% and total sales increased 2.5% to $208 million during the quarter ended November 2.

Cleveland -- Holiday spending expectations are in line with last year when in-store shopping accounted for 70% of spending, according to a new survey by Forest City Enterprises. The average in-store expenditure is expected to increase by 1% to about $774. The average online expenditure is expected to decrease by 0.3% to $330.

Holiday shoppers will be driven more than ever by value this year and that they expect to shift even more of their spending toward children, the study found.  

Hampstead, Md. – Jos. A. Bank is attempting to get a jump on the many retailers starting their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving by offering a “Super Tuesday” sale event on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The retailer will offer Black Friday prices on select “doorbuster” items in its 571 company-owned full-line stores nationwide.

In addition, these select doorbuster items will be offered online at Josbank.com beginning at 12:01 a.m. (EST) on November 26, 2013, and there will be other special one-day price discounts.

New York – Foot Locker’s net income fell 2% in the third quarter, dropping to $104 million from $106 million.

Total revenue grew 6.4% to $1.62 million from $1.52 million, above estimates. Same-store sales increased 4.1%.

Cost of sales and income tax expense both increased during the quarter, affecting net income. During the third quarter, the company opened 28 new stores, remodeled or relocated 118 stores, and closed 13 stores.

Apprehension regarding shoppers’ willingness to spend during the shortened holiday season has reached the point where even retailers presumably well positioned to benefit from frugality are sounding alarms.

The most recent is Ross Stores vice chairman and CEO Michael Balmuth who shared his concerns about the fourth quarter even as the operator of 1,154 stores reported third quarter sales that were in line with expectations and profits that exceeded guidance due to margin expansion.