Consumer Electronics

Bentonville, Ark. -- Increased traffic and better than expected same-store sales growth at Walmart’s U.S. stores were bright spots in the retailer’s fourth quarter earnings. But the big story in Thursday’s earnings release was the announcement that approximately 500,000 full-time and part-time associates at Walmart U.S. stores and Sam's Clubs will receive pay raises in the first half of the current fiscal year.  

Dallas -- Cypress Equities announced the acquisition of The Strand, a 96,000-sq.-ft. mixed-use development located in Huntington Beach, California.  

The transaction was secured by a fund managed by Cypress’ real estate investment management group, which has acquired more than $500 million dollars of retail properties during the past two years.  
 

Minneapolis – Best Buy Co Inc. has added service from the Curbside mobile shopping app to several stores in the Bay Area, including San Francisco and San Jose. Curbside enables consumers to purchase items from local retailers and then pick them up outside of local stores with deliveries directly to their cars.

By Kirsten Early, Partner and Director of Retail, SRSA Commercial Real Estate

By Matthew K. Harding

With demand from national, local and franchise companies across a broad range of categories picking up markedly in the Northeast, this is an opportune time to take a look at the movers and shakers that are defining the next generation of retail tenancy. And interestingly, the most successful concepts are embracing a new reality that leverages technology and creative approaches for reaching consumers.

Categories to watch

New York -- The consumer electronics and furniture sectors of the retail industry can look forward to growth in 2015, while the apparel sector faces a more mixed outlook. That was the message sounded by CIT Commercial Services executives during a roundtable discussion, "Everyone Looks Good in the Black: Retailers in the Economic Rebound,” part of the CIT Executive Insights series.

During the discussion, each CIT executive offered their views on the top trends they see ahead in various sectors of the retail market:

From drones to self-driving cars to a Barbie capable of having “real conversations with kids,” the 112th Toy Fair announced this year's hottest trends in toys.

Creative toys that epitomize the Maker Movement (explained below), innovative "smart" playthings, and toys that make a "splash" are among the top toy trends of 2015, according to experts at the U.S. Toy Industry Association (TIA).

By Haydn Simpson, NetNames