Successful execution on an omnichannel strategy is no longer enough for middle market retailers. Yes, it’s important to meet and sell to clients where they are whether it’s in a store or online, but it’s also essential for retailers that these channel efforts be profitable, especially amid this year’s ... READ MORE >
retail
Consumers signal strong start to holiday spending; how will it end?
The increase in October retail sales at 1.7% month over month beat estimates of 1.4%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For further perspective and to reduce the noise and focus on holiday season sales, we saw a 12.9% increase year over year for retail sales, excluding food services, gas, building ... READ MORE >
Consumer products holiday season countdown: Help wanted
All industries are grappling with labor shortages and the retail sector is no different. Most retailers have already started ramping up for the holiday shopping season as consumers begin their holiday spending earlier and earlier each year. For instance, at the end of September, according to Bloomberg, ... READ MORE >
Consumer products holiday season countdown: What will they buy?
Consumer behavior has never been more diverse, volatile and difficult to predict this holiday season. However, as consumers navigate an evolving landscape of mask and vaccine mandates, localized outbreaks and school re-openings, some trends have begun to emerge. Some at-home trends have begun to ... READ MORE >
Consumer products holiday season countdown: Shopping has already started
For the second year in a row, we expect the pandemic to set the tone for the holiday season. In 2020, retailers and consumer companies throughout the supply chain were forced to start competing for holiday dollars earlier, with Amazon moving its Prime Day, their annual deal event for members, from ... READ MORE >
Food sales remain steady as we move into fall
While top-line retail sales data for September increased by 0.7%, beating analyst expectations of a 0.2% decline, food-focused categories remained only slightly up from August. Grocery sales were up by 0.7%, and restaurants, a proxy of food and drink places, were up 0.3%. The relatively flat numbers ... READ MORE >
Already hot ‘buy now, pay later’ space gets a big boost from Amazon
Amazon, which has been slowly adding financial services products to its portfolio, has entered the hot “buy now, pay later” space. Last Friday, the e-commerce giant announced its partnership with Affirm, a buy-now-pay-later platform that allows customers to pay for purchases in installments. This ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Retail sales dip reflects shift in spending habits
A decline in retail spending in July may signal a shift in spending habits as consumers straddle a strengthening economy and virus-related concerns. Retail sales declined 1.1% in July compared to June, with the biggest decreases coming from motor vehicle and parts dealers, as well as non-store ... READ MORE >
Four ways retailers and restaurants can manage current inflation and labor pressures
As the economic recovery from the pandemic-induced recession continues, consumer demand is high and the opportunity exists for a strong holiday retail and restaurant season. But these sectors are facing two significant headwinds: inflation and challenges finding qualified labor. During the recession, ... READ MORE >
Retail lessons from the RSM US Middle Market Business Index
While it’s no surprise that middle market retailers were hard hit by fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, proprietary RSM data underscores this vulnerability. Some 44% of U.S. retailers lost domestic revenue because of the pandemic, while nearly half experienced disruptions to U.S. operations or ... READ MORE >