Kurt Barnard
Kurt Barnard
exciting image people retailers sells sharper sold telling unique watch
Watch out for this company. It's telling us something. While most retailers sold indistinguishable products, Sharper Image sells exciting and unique things that people want to buy.
came christmas companies customers exciting gave globe granted image lesson mistake payoff products retailers sales sharper taking unusual weaker weeks
These two companies gave a must-have lesson for all retailers, Sharper Image combed the globe for unusual and exciting products that weren't run-off-the-mill ... Retailers made the mistake of taking customers for granted and the payoff came two weeks ago in much weaker Christmas sales because of ho-hum kind of merchandise.
came christmas companies customers exciting gave globe granted image lesson mistake payoff products retailers sales sharper taking unusual weaker weeks
These two companies gave a must-have lesson for all retailers, ... Sharper Image combed the globe for unusual and exciting products that weren't run-off-the-mill ... Retailers made the mistake of taking customers for granted and the payoff came two weeks ago in much weaker Christmas sales because of ho-hum kind of merchandise.
beginning christmas consumer cost economy everybody exciting extra families far gas gasoline high landing less means month pump soft spending toll worried year
Everybody is worried about a soft landing for the economy and a contraction of consumer spending. And come Christmas it will be far less exciting than a year ago. The high cost at the gas pump is beginning to take its toll and for a lot of families spending an extra $20-to-$25 a month on gasoline means spending that much less on stores.
confidence consumers demand exciting fashions lack second strong sweep
The fashions did not appeal. They were not sufficiently exciting to sweep consumers into the stores, ... translates into a lack of confidence that there will be strong consumer demand in the second half.
apple biting clear create exciting looking market necessary needed order path sour steps strong terribly
What we are looking at is very strong and very necessary steps as the first installment of a Kmart turnaround, ... What he's doing right now is terribly important. It needed to be done, biting into the sour apple so to speak, in order to create a clear path for the future. I think Kmart is going to be customer-centric in the future, competitive in the market place and exciting to shop.
consumers customers evoking exciting finding granted instead looking mistake problem products retailers selling stores taking terrible unusual
A terrible problem for retailers is that most stores are evoking yawns from consumers, instead of excitement. Retailers just can't keep making the mistake of taking customers for granted by selling ho-hum kind of merchandise. Consumers are looking for unusual and exciting products and they're not finding them.
consumers forget found items operators store talking
We found out, from talking to consumers and store operators all over the country, that low-dollar items went very fast. Forget about high-end items.
altering carries channels few next potential retail sales tremendous upsetting web
The potential for Web sales is tremendous and it carries the potential of completely altering and upsetting over the next few years all channels of retail selling.
attitude cautious reflect retail sales
With this kind of weather, we've now had this for some days, I think you'll find retail sales will reflect a cautious attitude on the part of consumers,
consumer entire good news seeing
We're seeing the consumer back at the discretionary counters and that is good news for the entire industry.
beginning caught clearance early earnings everybody four hand inventory reflect rid sales seeing summer three
We're seeing clearance sales that are early by at least three to four weeks. Going back to the beginning of summer they had a lot of inventory on hand and they need to get rid of it, ... Second-quarter earnings are going to reflect the markdowns. Everybody has been caught in the downdraft.
department news problem stores target watch
With Wal-Mart it's still a wait-and watch situation, but Target's news is a little worse. The problem with Target is that its department stores are underperforming.
cautious consumers demand difficult half industry job picture retail second spending unless until year
Until the unemployment picture improves, consumers will be very cautious about their spending habits. We think the second half of the year could also be difficult for the retail industry unless the job demand improves.