Independent artisans are crowding onto the Web
March 1, 2010 – 10:13 am | No Comment

Lure of a global marketplace has craftspeople competing for shoppers through such sites as Etsy.com, Artfire.com and 1000 Markets.

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J.C. Penney pushing style during Oscar broadcast
March 1, 2010 – 10:11 am | No Comment
J.C. Penney pushing style during Oscar broadcast

J.C. Penney Co. knows it scores with consumers on quality and price. Now it wants credit for style with a new tagline that pokes fun at itself: “New look. New day. Who knew?”

Emotions will unlock your wallet, study finds
February 25, 2010 – 9:47 am | No Comment
Emotions will unlock your wallet, study finds

Imagine getting a promotion and being publicly praised by the boss for your hard work. On the way home, do you buy a fancy watch or comfy couch?

NBA, Adidas Set Up Courts In Malls
February 25, 2010 – 9:45 am | No Comment
NBA, Adidas Set Up Courts In Malls

Adidas and the National Basketball Association are hitting the malls. Adidas, which is the league’s official uniform provider, has inked a deal with the NBA and mall-based retailer Champs Sports for an “Official NBA Shop at Champs Sports.” The NBA Shop will debut in 69 Champs Sports stores this month and will be in the remaining 486 Champs Sports stores nationwide by the start of the 2010-11 NBA season, per the companies.

Leibovitz Shoots Britney Spears For Candie’s
February 25, 2010 – 9:38 am | No Comment
Leibovitz Shoots Britney Spears For Candie’s

The spring campaign for Candie’s featuring singer Britney Spears was shot by three famous photographers, including Annie Leibovitz.

Disney Invites ‘Goths’ to the Party
February 25, 2010 – 9:21 am | No Comment
Disney Invites ‘Goths’ to the Party

Disney, the company that created “the happiest place on earth” and cornered the market on pink, is embracing a darker aesthetic as it reaches out to an unlikely audience for new merchandise: female “goths.”

Firm Points To E-Tail, Mobile Internet ‘Collision’
February 25, 2010 – 9:07 am | No Comment
Firm Points To E-Tail, Mobile Internet ‘Collision’

The mobile phone is more than just a device for speaking to people while on the go. Consumers are using it more often to compare and shop for deals and products.

The pros and cons of concealing product prices online
February 16, 2010 – 9:02 am | No Comment
The pros and cons of concealing product prices online

Much like some fine jewelry shops, some e-commerce sites are making prices for items difficult to spot. Only by adding the merchandise to their shopping carts are consumers able to see the cost.

Facebook, Victoria’s Secret Big With Online Shoppers
February 10, 2010 – 12:01 pm | No Comment

As more retailers look to develop effective social-media strategies, a new study finds that Facebook is by far the most effective way to woo would-be shoppers.

In Age of Friending, Consumers Trust Their Friends Less
February 8, 2010 – 10:47 am | No Comment
In Age of Friending, Consumers Trust Their Friends Less

According to Edelman’s latest Trust Barometer, the number of people who view their friends and peers as credible sources of information about a company dropped by almost half, from 45% to 25%, since 2008.

EC needs Maryland stores to promote on TV this week
February 1, 2010 – 7:27 am | No Comment
EC needs Maryland stores to promote on TV this week

On February 5th, I will be on ABC2News to discuss Valentine’s Day gift ideas. I’m looking for unique stores in Maryland to promote their products to a large audience. Call me today!

NRF Forecasts 2.5% Increase in Retail Sales for 2010
January 27, 2010 – 7:33 am | No Comment
NRF Forecasts 2.5% Increase in Retail Sales for 2010

The National Retail Federation released its 2010 economic forecast today, projecting retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) will increase 2.5 percent from last year.

Fashion Week’s coming… but there are no trends!
January 22, 2010 – 10:14 am | No Comment
Fashion Week’s coming… but there are no trends!

Even as the fashion press gears up for an orgy of trend-spotting at New York fashion week, which starts Feb. 11, many observers feel Mr. Wolfe is right: We’ve reached the end of the trend as the guiding stricture in fashion. The “must-have” currently being attached to certain styles—The trench coat! The one-shoulder dress! Metallics!—is little more than a marketing pitch.

Selling products for moms? Beef up your Twitter use
January 22, 2010 – 9:57 am | No Comment
Selling products for moms? Beef up your Twitter use

Retailers trying to influence moms should pay close attention to their social media efforts and also focus on free items, promotions and discounts, according to a Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) survey conducted by BIGresearch.

Study: Buy local campaigns provide short-lived results for small businesses
January 22, 2010 – 9:51 am | No Comment
Study: Buy local campaigns provide short-lived results for small businesses

RECENT RESEARCH SHOWS that buying local campaigns provide only limited and short-lived results for small businesses. So, as budget-conscious consumers turn to mass retailers, Internet and malls for bargains, what can small business owners do? Here are three suggestions.

Five lessons for selling luxury items
January 13, 2010 – 11:08 am | No Comment
Five lessons for selling luxury items

Tory Burch and Steve Sadove, Chairman and CEO of Saks, spoke on the challenges that have faced luxury retailers during the past year and opportunities for growth in the future at Retail’s BIG show. Read their tips here.

Beat the big-box retailer in 2010
January 1, 2010 – 3:08 pm | No Comment
Beat the big-box retailer in 2010

Yesterday is gone. 2010 is the time to start anew. It’s true that many of my clients and colleagues are tightening their belts now through the first quarter of 2010, but it’s not due to fear carried over from 2009. Instead, many of them are streamlining processes and making divisions more efficient in preparation of new growth during the second half of 2010.

Social media websites strengthened holiday season for retailers
January 1, 2010 – 3:04 pm | No Comment
Social media websites strengthened holiday season for retailers

Holiday retail sales might have staved off a visit from the Grinch thanks in part to social media.

Teen stores, discounters to thrive in 2010
January 1, 2010 – 2:54 pm | No Comment
Teen stores, discounters to thrive in 2010

Discounters, price-conscious teen stores and social-media-savvy retailers are best-positioned to thrive in the new year, according to retail experts.

ABC2News: Returning Gifts
December 22, 2009 – 9:33 am | No Comment
ABC2News: Returning Gifts

What are the state laws when it comes to returning merchandise? Find out right here as Christine Carter speaks with Megan of ABC2News on Good Morning Maryland.

No more J.C.Penney catalog because of Twitter?
December 17, 2009 – 7:55 am | No Comment
No more J.C.Penney catalog because of Twitter?

But the Plano, Texas-based retailer isn’t giving up on getting inside customers’ homes. Penney has 636,505 Facebook fans and 3,205 followers on Twitter. As many large retailers do, Penney mostly sticks to business with posts about free shipping or sales. Wal-Mart counts 270,680 Facebook followers, hundreds who vote — literally up or down with small thumb icons — on daily posts.