Showing posts with label Retailing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Retailing. Show all posts

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Black Friday is here and are you ready?

Here in the USA, the day after Thanksgiving is known as "Black Friday" due to all the special sales and the stores opening at midnight for shoppers.  It seems pretty silly, but there are many wonderful bargains to be found if you are willing to camp out in line and be one of the first shoppers to get into the store.

I hate crowds, so I prefer to shop all year long--monitoring sales for items that may be appropriate as Christmas presents.  I also prefer shopping online to going to stores.  This is just my preferences.  More and more people are getting into the spirit of Black Friday shopping.  For months before this day, you can receive emails and circulars telling you about the wonderful "bargains" and "sales" to be found on this day.  What they don't tell you is that there is a very limited quantity of these items and if you are not the lucky few, you will probably end up spending more money buying similar items that are not on sale.  This is the ploy of all the commercial sellers on this day.

I understand that stores need to make a profit for our economy to improve, but I don't like "bait and switch" tactics very much.  I think it is dishonest.  So, I choose to shop online during the year and by Black Friday I have all my Christmas done.  It is just my way of dealing with this holiday.  You are more than welcome to deal with the stress, crowds, etc.  I simply don't wish to do so.

I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoys the food and family time that this holiday stands for. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wednesday Shopping Wisdom --http://www.freeholidaygiftreview.com

Here's some words of wisdom to consider when shopping for presents this year,
courtesy of FreeHolidayGift Review.com:



Top 10 things to consider when purchasing a gift for someone.
 
#10-  The gender for whom you are purchasing the gift. 
Although this could be a non-issue, it most likely is not.
#9-  The chronological age for whom you are purchasing the gift.
So this refers to what their actual age is.  You%u2019re certainly not going to purchase the same thing for someone who is 50 as opposed to 15 (unless it is golf balls or similar nature)  So this requires a little thinking.
#8-   The mental age of whom you are purchasing the gift.
This refers to how young they feel at heart.  Again, let's be considering the person's age but be cautious of purchasing items TOO young or TOO old for what the person FEELS like they are.
#7-  The occasion for which you are purchasing the gift.
Are you purchasing something for a birthday, Christmas or say, VALENTINE'S DAY?  These will all have different angles from which to make your purchase.
#6-  Have you purchased for them before?
Is this a first purchase because they're a new boy/girl friend?  If so, be careful to not say the 'wrong' thing by purchasing something too 'cheap'.
#5-  How well did that previous purchase go?
Did your last purchase make a good impression?  Or do you need to 'make up' for your last purchase?  (talking to the guys here)
#4-  How much money do you have to spend?
Maybe this should be slightly higher in the rank but non-the-less, it does come into play in what you%u2019re going to purchase.
#3-  Their relation to you.
Are we talking about a friend?  A close friend?  Brother/Sister? Wife/Husband?  You get the picture.  Make sure you're thinking about this!
#2-  What do you want this gift to 'say' to them?
This could be a trade-off with #1.  If you're merely saying 'I like you' then keep that in mind.  If you're trying to say 'I REALLY like you', then obviously that changes things up a bit.  Now if you're wanting to say 'I love you,' well then, you'd better step up to the plate and hit one out of the park!
#1-  Do you want them to remember this gift forever?
This could go a lot of different directions in terms of them remembering forever.  You could step off the cliff face and be remembered for something permanently going to 'leave a mark'!  Or you could do something crazy like a 'gag' that would be remembered forever.  Now going this route could still be 'stepping off a cliff' b
you have to determine that yourself. 
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

A Christmas tree inside a home.Image via Wikipedia
Here's a video I found that helps you understand how to plan for the holidays in advance.  This is just the first video in the series, so I suggest you visit the site and watch the rest.  They are pretty good, but not all inclusive of the planning that you need to do.  Overall, these videos are a good beginning spot.  Enjoy!
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 Christmas is a time for family and rejoicing, for celebrating the good things we have in life. Christmas is also the time during which retailers and advertisers bombard the senses, desperate to get those dollars you've worked so hard for. But unless you're okay with losing a few friends, and possibly being ignored by a few family members, you are hopelessly obligated to get something for everyone you expect to speak to for the next year or so. Shopping for Christmas gifts can be source of extreme stress, trying to stretch your limited budget and still pay the bills. But Expert Village offers these free videos to help you create and execute a holiday spending plan that won't leave you eating nothing but black eyed peas for the entire month of January. Expert Melissa Schenk will teach you how to budget your holiday spending, first by making a Christmas shopping list, setting a limit on Christmas spending, and how to fine-tune your budget by brainstorming for gift ideas and separating your gift spending from your other holiday expenses. You'll also learn how to resist the temptation of buying for yourself when shopping for gifts. Skipping the expensive Christmas cards and fancy gift wrap are also great ways to save money this holiday season.




How to Crate a Holiday Spending Budget -- powered by eHow.com
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Friday, July 9, 2010

Black Friday Deals online?

Inside Hawthorn mall on Black Friday 2006Image via Wikipedia
Here's a snippet from a new site I just found called Black-Friday.net. 
This is really exciting to know that you can get the super sales offered on that specific day online--no fighting crowds, no waiting outside stores early in the morning.  That is really a great thing for those of us who plan ahead.  Check out the site and as it gets closer to the holiday, check out their Facebook page to keep up with specials.

Black Friday 2010

January 1st, 2010
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when major retailers around the country discount products to help kick off the Christmas shopping season. This Black Friday ads are usually kept secret until you receive the circulars in your Thanksgiving Day newspaper. However at Black-Friday.net, we give you the advantage by showing you all of the Black Friday 2010 ads before anyone else. We also offer direct links to each product so you can purchase the items online on Black Friday without having to stand in line at the store!
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Black Friday Deals: Do You Know Where the Sales Are?

 In two days it will be BLACK FRIDAY and everywhere you go or look will be having huge sales in preparation for Christmas.  The crowds will the large and possible anxious because the news has been telling everyone that there may not be enough stock to go around this year due to the recession.

Because so many people look to this day for price-slashed deals to do Christmas shopping, it is necessary that you be prepared and know exactly what you need to do.  This article shows you some tactics to use in your preparations.

Go to the original article to read the other stories as well.  You can get more useful information to make this Christmas season a great one!

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Mellody Hobson Brings You the Best Deals, Online and Off This Holiday Season

By KATE McCARTHY

Nov. 24, 2009—

Millions of shoppers will hit the stores this weekend in search of the best Black Friday deals. This holiday season the average household is expected to spend $683 on gifts, according to the National Retail Federation.
But where should you head to find the best buys?
"Good Morning America" financial contributor Mellody Hobson tells you where you can find the best holiday sales on black Friday and beyond.
Do You Have a Black Friday Strategy? Share Your Story With ABC News.
Hobson suggested Best Buy's "Doorbusters," which offer deals on everything from laptops to digital cameras. For instance, there is a 10 megapixel digital camera for $49.99, down from $99.99
Or try Walmart, which is offering a $78 blu-ray player.
But if you prefer clothes to gadgets Hobson suggested looking at Target. It is selling men's jeans, khakis or dress pants for $8.
But Hobson cautioned that because retailers have cut their inventories this year there may not be as many discounts as last year and some items may be hard to find.
For example, Hobson pointed to one of this year's most popular gifts, a Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster. It is a battery-operated toy hamster which was selling for $8. But because of its popularity most stores are sold out and now these Hamsters are being sold upwards of $60 on E-Bay or Amazon.
Hobson said that although some retailers will have those popular items in stock, she warned that they might only be available in the store, not online, and quantities could be limited to one per person.

How to Keep Track of the Sales

Retailers have been advertising their black Friday sales in newspapers and online, but keeping track of all of them can quickly become overwhelming.
Hobson suggested a few helpful Web sites which compile the information for you.
CyberMonday, Black Friday Ads and BlackFriday.info all post ads, special offers and other helpful shopping information for a variety of major retailers. For example, Hobson said shoppers can search more than 550 retailers on CyberMonday by item to find the best deals.


How to Brave the Black Friday Crowds

If you decide to fight the crowds Hobson has a few suggestions on the best way to shop.
First, be sure to read the fine print in the circulars. Some items may come with a caveat such as "while supplies last" or "one per person."
Hobson said it can also help to team-up and arrive early. Stores such as Best Buy hand out tickets for their most popular items in an attempt to control the post-Thanksgiving chaos.

Cyber Monday is the New Black Friday for Online Retailers

If you decide to avoid the crowds and stay home to shop online you should know that Cyber Monday is to online retailers what Black Friday is to traditional stores, according to Hobson.
The Monday after Thanksgiving is considered the kick-off day to the online holiday shopping season. But Hobson cautioned that if you shop online for popular items that have limited quantities you may receive an e-mail after you place your order that your item is on backorder or that it's out of stock.
CLICK HERE to return to the "Good Morning America" Web site.
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

10 reasons you should do your Christmas shopping online

Walmart on Black FridayImage by joanieofarc via Flickr
For your pleasure, here is an article about reasons to shop online--as if you really needed to see reasons in black and white!  There is a good point here, I think at #6.  With all the ruckus about H1N1 and Flu season, who wouldn't want to avoid all that unknown exposure?

Anyway, read the article and then get crackin' online.  Time's a-wasting!
  ____________________________________________________________________________________

By COUPON SHERPA
http://www.couponsherpa.com/
The crowds, the fluorescent lights, the sales clerks who ignore you and the lines, lines, lines. Some people love Christmas shopping. I assume they also like sleeping on a bed of nails.

Here are 10 reasons you should consider shopping online.

1. Unique gifts: You can find the coolest and most unusual stuff online. From remote-controlled Ferraris at hipstergifts.com to Gummi Army Guys at stupid.com, it's all out there. You just have to look. And as with all shopping, looking is half the fun.

2. Find exactly what you want: Need a Hello Kitty purse for your niece or a Transformer action figure for your nephew? It's all there and Google makes it easy to find. The "toy of the year" may be sold-out early on toy sites, but check eBay and you'll probably find it. Of course the eBay price will be higher than retail on that hot item, but your daughter won't be disappointed come Christmas morning - if that's your goal.

3. Crowds: IMHO, not having to fight overzealous crowds is the very best part of shopping online. Plus, you can cook dinner while sitting at your computer, so no pizzza dinner after an exhausting day of dealing with overzealous shoppers.

4. Sleep in: It's beyond my understanding why anyone would camp out in front of Best Buy on Black Friday, only to find the five rock-bottom-priced laptops advertised in the Thanksgiving newspaper were picked off by employees before the doors opened. Online shopping allows you to sleep in and leisurely stroll to your computer at a reasonable hour. Heck, you can even shop at midnight, after the kids are in bed and you have some private time.

5. Keep it secret: Have your gift-wrapped purchases delivered close to Christmas and you don't have to worry about hiding them from inquisitive little fingers (or the bigger fingers of nosey spouses).

6. No germs: How many people ignore a cold and still go shopping, where they spread all those yucky germs? There's no chance of catching swine flu (sorry, H1N1) from your computer, although you can catch a virus.

7. No snarky clerks: Sure many of the clerks have a reason to be irritated. Shoppers can be nasty, aggressive and cheap. Worst of all, many clerks know they'll be canned immediately after post-Christmas sales. Blessedly, there are no clerks online and, thus, no one to hassle you.

8. Dress code: You can shop online in your pajamas or sweat pants. Need I say more? And that coffee your drinking is homemade - not an expensive mocha drink from Starbucks that you waited half an hour in line to buy and the "barista" got it wrong.

9. Better deals: Super hot deals offered by brick-and-mortar stores are picked off by the first 10 people in line. You can easily compare prices and find great deals online without the chance of being trampled.

10. Shipping: Have your gifts shipped directly to your home or to the recipient; whichever works best for you. If you like, online stores will even gift-wrap presents and slip in a personalized card. You'll reduce your holiday stress and avoid the lines at the post office. Many online stores offer free shipping.

(Coupon Sherpa is the penny pinching, coupon clipping, deal digging, Himalyan haggling, he-man of bargains. Visit http://www.couponsherpa.com/ for more shopping advice, insider tips, and coupons.)

© 2007 Belleville News-Democrat and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.belleville.com

Go here to see the original article
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Friday, November 20, 2009

Buyer Beware: Holiday 'Must Haves' Could Fly Off Store Shelves

Black Friday, 5am, Best BuyImage by John Michlig via Flickr
Here is an article that explains what to expect this year when you think about Christmas shopping.  It's a good thing I started my shopping early because, as this article points out, if you wait much longer you may not be able to get the gift you wanted to get and will be stuck trying to find something else instead.

Read this article and then get out there and get busy shopping!  Maybe you need to check out all the bargains online too.  Visit Christmas is coming too soon! for some ideas this year.


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Price Cuts, Reduced Inventory Could Create Shortfalls on Hot-Selling Gifts

By TROY MCMULLEN

Nov. 19, 2009 —

The holiday season won't be very merry for Americans hoping to give -- or get -- Amazon's Kindle, Apple's iPod Touch or a top-of-the-line LCD television.
Electronic gadgets are always a big holiday favorite.
But this year, with retailers slashing prices in a tight economy, popular gift-giving items like electronics, video games and TV's are expected to clear store shelves well ahead of Christmas, say retail analysts.
"It's been a very difficult year for retailers and the holiday season isn't expected to be strong," says Nancy Koehn, a professor at Harvard Business School.
Koehn says the harsh sales environment is forcing retailers to slash prices to get buyers in the aisles.
But many big top retailers also are cutting back inventory levels on higher priced items to prevent unplanned markdowns at the end of the season.
"By tightening inventory, stores will be creating demand for popular items, particularly those in a higher price range so you should expect to see a lot of early buzz for popular items in some stores," Koehn says.
Last year, holiday sales were essentially flat and fourth-quarter earnings for many retailers tanked amid a widening U.S. recession.
This year, top stores like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Sears are well into "Black Friday" price-cutting mode, and the heavy discounts likely will accelerate by Thanksgiving, when items are likely to be marked down 40 to 50 percent.
(Google Trends has been showing strong public interest in Black Friday sales events since Halloween.)
All of this means shoppers looking to scoop up some of the season's most popular items could find themselves out of luck if they wait until weeks before Christmas to venture into stores.
"There may still be good deals if shoppers wait until late December to shop," says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with NPD Group, a retail consultant firm in Port Washington, N.Y.
"Stores like to create a bit of frenzy on top selling items, but this year they may actually have a real one."
So which products are expected to fly off store shelves this season?
Amazon's Kindle is the clear favorite among many who follow retail trends. The wireless device downloads books, magazines, and newspapers to a high-resolution 6-inch electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper.
Amazon says the device, which retails for $259.00, can store more than 15,000 books and magazines. And this week, Amazon announced Kindle for personal computers, which allows users to read the 360,000 Kindle books on their laptops or PCs.
Like the Kindle, the iPod Touch is expected to do well this season. Apple boasts that the pocket-sized computer will do almost everything a regular-sized personal computer will do. Users can download movies, music, surf the Web, send e-mail and play video games.
The iPod Touch starts at $199 for an 8 GB model. A 64 GB model costs $399.
Netbooks, the small, portable personal computers, will also be at the top of shopping lists this season. The lightweight, wireless computers allow users to surf the Web and create documents on the go. Retailing for about $200, these devices also are more affordable.
LCD televisions are expected to sell quickly despite a still shaky economy, say experts. Ranging in size from 52 inches to pocket sized, LCD TV screens are already top sellers at places like Best Buy, which have been selling them all year.
Video games have been a hot seller that past few years and this year Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" is already breaking sales records.
It took in a record $550 million worldwide during its first five days on sale. That tops the previous record of just over $500 million set by "Grand Theft Auto IV" last year. The latest in the "Call of Duty" video game franchise went on sale Nov. 10.
Retailers and industry experts say the simplest way to avoid being shut out of the hottest items is to shop early, of course. Going online is one way to do that, but the National Retail Federation reminds shoppers that many retailers will gladly hold in-stock items for consumers via a phone order.
Modifying expectations this season also will be helpful.
"Let's face it; some of these items well certainly be gone well before Thanksgiving," says Jeff Sweenic, a manager at the video game retailer Game Shop in Denver, Colo. He advises shoppers to pivot now and begin thinking of suitable back-up gifts.
"If we sell out of something like "Call of Duty" there are still plenty of other games people will gladly take as a gift."

Retailers Struggle

The struggling economy has meant that this year Black Friday is shifting from a one-day sale event to a month-long stretch of promotions, as retailers work hard or early holiday sales.
Retailers from Wal-Mart to Amazon already have launched ad campaigns boasting of dramatic discounts.
Kohl's annual pre-Christmas flyer went out last week and Wal-Mart is releasing its Christmas catalog early. Meantime, Amazon is set to unleash an ad blitz for holiday sales this week.
Koehn, at Harvard Business School, says retailers want to avoid a repeat of last Christmas when many sliced prices aggressively just before the holidays, hurting sales margins.
"This environment will certainly force retailers to cut prices early," she says. "What remains to be seen is if this strategy will actually work."


To read the original article>>click here
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