News

The Seattle Times is reporting that, according to court documents filed last week, Albertsons is currently bidding on 36 of 95 stores being sold by the now-bankrupt Haggen. Albertsons had previously sold 146 stores to Haggen as part of its acquisition of Safeway. [Seattle Times]

The world’s biggest online shopping holiday got off to a roaring start in China.

In the first 90 minutes of the “Singles Day” sale, which kicked off at 12 midnight in Beijing on Nov. 11, total sales exceeded $5 billion, Alibaba reported. About 74% of sales were from mobile phones.

Estimates are that annual shopping extravaganza could reach as high as $11 billion in sales.

At one point or another, anyone discussing the future of personalization in offline retail has quoted the film Minority Report, where virtual billboards scan Tom Cruise, and immediately customize their message. The virtual assistant in Gap refers to the last time he entered the store, and inquires about his recent purchase.

Now, 13 years later, some of these technologies are becoming mainstream. For example, large retailers like Target and venues like the new Levi’s Stadium are equipped with beacons to customize your experience.

Single adults, a lucrative demographic that now comprises half the U.S. population, continues to be overlooked or misrepresented by U.S. marketers and retailers, according to a report by retail marketing agency TPN and market insights firm C+R Research.

The study, "Millions of Singles, Billions at Stake: The Rise of the New Independents," busts myths and stereotypes to help brands and retailers understand, engage and celebrate singles.

Pier I Imports is getting personal in its online marketing efforts, delivering individualized content to customers that is based on their previous shopping activity.

The retailer has partnered with Certona, a provider of real-time omnichannel personalization, to deliver a “hyper-personalized omnichannel experience” to shoppers.

A prolonged drop in gas prices is boosting hopes among retailers that consumers will spend more this holiday season.

According to the latest Consumer Fuels Survey by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), more than one in four (26%) consumers expect to increase their spending this month, a seven-point jump over the past month and the highest percentage this year. Last November, only 21% of consumers expected to increase their spending, according to the survey.

Nearly one-third of retailers surveyed by JLL say they plan to open on Thanksgiving Day in order to get a jump on Black Friday sales.

JLL’s 2015 Holiday Sentiment Report, which includes feedback from largely national or global retailers in JLL-managed shopping centers across the United States, also reveals more than half of those retailers expect an uptick in shopper traffic this year.

Home furnishings retailer Wayfair increased revenue and narrowed its loss in the third quarter thanks to what the company's CEO called "customer growth accelerating at a phenomenal pace."

It turns out that the No. 1 retail perk for shoppers is not speedy delivery, according to Deloitte's 30th annual holiday survey of consumer spending intentions and trends.

The survey shows that free shipping is the top retailer policy preferred by shoppers. Furthermore, the ubiquity of personal mobile devices allows consumers to take their time researching purchases and store policies giving them opportunity to request exactly what they want.

Gift cards continue to grow in popularity – a fact especially noticeable now, during the holiday season. Retailers and consumers should be aware of problems gift cards can create – notably regarding money left unredeemed by card holders and what happens when an issuing company goes into bankruptcy.