As the economy continues to recover, many consumers are steadily regaining confidence in their financial conditions. Many are making their way back into retail stores, although there are still some who remain hesitant about the market. To attract these potential customers, many retailers are focusing their efforts on making the shopping experience more fun and engaging.

Marketing Week reports that a recent study by consulting firm Fitch has shown that some consumers view shopping for and purchasing items as a chore rather than something enjoyable. When it comes to browsing online or in retail stores, customers are either in one of three mindsets, the research states: the dream mindset, the exploring mindset or the locating mindset. The first two mean consumers are open to other ideas, while the last one implies that shoppers are focused only on a brand or item and will not consider any other ideas. Of the customers surveyed all over the world, 79 percent stated they expect to only locate items and purchase them.

For this reason, consideration should be given to making in-store and online experiences fun. One example of this being done is with Fashion's Night Out, an annual event that is hosted in cities across the globe. The Huffington Post reports that clothing retailers implemented interesting and attractive initiatives that drew large crowds and ultimately boosted their sales.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 2:19 am .

With the release of the newest iPhone from tech giant Apple on September 21, retailers around the world prepared their stores for the influx of customers that rushed to purchase the must-have gadget of the year.

KHON-TV reports that retailer Best Buy in Honolulu extended its hours on Friday to accommodate consumers who had pre-ordered their iPhone 5 online. They only accepted people who had made an appointment to pick up their new devices between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Other retailers in the area also opened their doors earlier for iPhone buyers, and many created displays that features the new additions to the technology, reports the source.

Elsewhere in the world, people were lining up days before the phone was being sold in stores, according to The New York Times. Apple stores around the globe saw people camping out for days just to get their hands on the iPhone 5. More than 2 million orders were processed within the first 24 hours of when Apple announced the release date. This is more than double the amount that was received when the iPhone 4S came out, says the news source.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 2:17 am .

Retailers throughout Canada experienced a better-than-expected summer in terms of sales, and now they are hoping to carry that momentum into the fall and holiday shopping seasons.

According to CTV Atlantic, an increase in tourists is what resulted in exceptional retail sales for merchants. Some retailers told the source that strong summer seasons usually indicate that holiday sales will be solid, and since the numbers were good during the warmer months, things are already looking up for the colder season. Steve Clerke, a retailer in Moncton, New Brunswick, said that he had to hire additional workers and extend the opening hours of his business to meet tourists' demands.

"We've been here for 27 years and we've seen such an incredible increase in tourism for us this summer," Clerke told the news source.

One aspect that might impact retailers this holiday season is ecommerce. Internet Retailer reports that a study by eMarketer found that Canadian online commerce is expected to surpass that of the United States. For this year, internet sales will grow 14.3 percent, compared to the 13.8 percent in the U.S. Ecommerce in Canada will account for $21.45 billion in total purchases.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 2:15 am .

Owners of smartphones and tablets in the United Kingdom are increasingly using their devices to purchase items from retailers, and for the upcoming holiday season it is expected that the number will significantly rise.

According to research from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), 41 percent of U.K. smartphone users stated they will buy gifts and items this year through mobile commerce, reports Internet Retailer. This is a significant increase from the 21 percent who said the same in 2011. Additionally, 71 percent of tablet owners plan to make holiday purchases on their devices this year.

"Mobiles have become an integral part of the engagement process between brands and consumers, and the rollout of 4G is only going to increase the appeal and ease of accessing mobile Internet on the move," said an IMRG spokesman as quoted by the source.

Despite these high expectations, many retailers throughout the country do not have mobile optimized websites. A survey by OnePoll revealed that 84 percent of fashion retailers in the U.K. do not have a mobile site. However, 90 percent of merchants surveyed stated they believe mobile shopping is essential to retail operations.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 at 1:51 am .

Retailers across the country are stepping up their hiring efforts to prepare for the influx of customers that will be coming into their stores this holiday season. The expected employment numbers during this time period have already surpassed the amounts from 2011.

Retailing Today cites research by Snagajob, which found that 63 percent of retailers stated they will hire seasonal employees this year to help with the holiday shopping rush. This is a significant increase from the 51 percent last year who said they were bringing on new staff. Additionally, retailers are planning on hiring more temporary employees, as managers will bring on an average of 6.1 employees each, representing nearly a 50 percent rise from last year as well as an almost 100 percent increase from the survey's lowest amounts in 2009.

Big name retailers are significantly boosting their hiring efforts for the holidays. Bloomberg Businessweek reports that Wal-Mart plans to bring on more than 50,000 additional workers for the shopping season. Kohl's stated that it will hire more than 52,000 new employees, which is a 10 percent increase from the 2011 holiday season.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 at 1:48 am .

Although it is still a few months away, retailers are already gearing up for the holiday shopping season. As economic conditions continue to improve and consumers steadily regain confidence, retailers are looking forward to the rush of shoppers that will visit their stores and websites to purchase gifts over the next few months.

Retailing Today cites a study by Booz & Company which found that there are several customer purchasing trends that are expected to impact retailers this year. Consumer are more optimistic about the holiday season this year, and 51 percent of those surveyed said economic survival was a great reason for celebrating this year. Nearly three-quarters anticipate that they will find great deals when shopping, which is an increase from last year's 62 percent who said the same thing.

"While technology enhancements and economic uncertainty will both impact this holiday season, there is a dose of optimism compared to 2011, as people shop with a value-seeking mindset," said Thom Blischok, chief retail strategist for Booz & Co.

Retailers across the country have already started putting out holiday displays and sticking their shelves with merchandise, reports The Register Guard. Promotions have already been launched, and some larger retailers, such as Walmart and Toys R Us, are bringing back layaway options for cash-conscious consumers.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 at 1:45 am .

Although the United Kingdom received a major retail boost from the Olympics, businesses across the country are hoping the strong sales last well into the future. Positive numbers, coupled with growing consumer confidence, are seeing increases in retail sales.

According to Reuters, U.K. retailers saw better-than-expected sales during the Olympics, as many economists anticipated that these numbers would drastically decrease as shoppers stayed home to watch the 2012 Games. A report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that sales dipped 0.2 percent, when it was estimated that it would be 0.4 percent. Although purchases fell, experts are saying that the numbers indicate that the economy could be improving.

"We would not interpret the (August) fall in sales as being too bad a result," said BNP Paribas economist David Tinsley. "The level of retail sales is still hovering around considerably higher levels than it averaged in 2011, indicating there has been some more momentum to consumer spending recently."

Fresh Plaza reports that another study by Savvy Marketing found that more British consumers are gaining confidence, and many are wanting to buy products made in the U.K., a result of the patriotism left over from the Olympics. Between June and August, the total amount of shoppers that were looking to purchase British goods increased from 63 percent to 72 percent.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 at 1:43 am .

Smartphones are everywhere these days, as consumers use them to perform a variety of daily tasks. These devices are now being brought in to the retail industry, as shoppers are accessing company websites and applications through their phones to compare products and prices.

Internet Retailer cites a study by comScore, which revealed that four out of five American consumers have used their smartphones to look up either a retail mobile commerce site or application. This accounts for approximately 85.9 million adults with mobile devices.

"With nearly 86 million Americans now shopping on their smartphones, this pronounced shift in consumer behavior is simply too large for retailers to ignore, with the future of their business depending on how well they adapt to the new environment," said Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of mobile. "The retailers who best understand how consumers are engaging in mobile shopping behaviors and design their strategies accordingly will be best positioned to capitalize on these shifting market dynamics."

Despite these increasing numbers for mobile commerce, many retailers are still hesitant about adopting systems that accommodate consumers with smartphones. Forrester Research conducted a study which found that only half of retailers have planned to spend more than $100,000 on mobile commerce solutions this year, reports Direct Marketing News. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 at 1:38 am .

Besides stocking their shelves with wanted holiday merchandise, retailers are also hiring more employees and launching promotional campaigns to begin the shopping season. Since economic conditions are looking up, more merchants are optimistic about bringing on new staff and are expecting holiday sales to significantly increase from last year.

The Chicago Tribune reports that many retailers across the country have already started displaying holiday-related merchandise. This is being done in the hopes of attracting the early shoppers and gaining their loyalty, not only through the end of the year but into the future as well.

"Consumers only have so many dollars they are going to spend at this point," said Megan Donadio, retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, as quoted by the news source. "By getting out there and letting people know about layaway plans, they (retailers) are making sure they are in the front of consumers' minds."

Retail hiring numbers for the holiday season are already surprising economists. The International Business Times reports that Kohl's Corporation recently announced that it has brought on 52,700 temporary workers, representing a 10 percent increase from last year. Approximately 495,000 people were hired last year during the holidays, and the industry is expected to surpass that number this year.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, September 24th, 2012 at 1:49 am .

Smartphones are increasingly being used to complete a variety of tasks. Now, these devices are making their way into retail stores, as merchants are starting to accept mobile payments. However, some retailers might still be hesitant, despite this new technology providing businesses with many advantages in the form of increased revenue.

TechCrunch writes that while the use of smartphones to pay for items and services is not quite widespread, it is only a matter of time until customers are using their devices to buy from retailers. The source cites research from Deloitte, which anticipates that mobile payments will increase between 17 and 21 percent by 2016. This accounts for approximately $628 million to $782 million in retail sales. Smartphones are already being used for shopping purposes, as the research discovered that 46 percent of device owners have used them to look up information about items and retail stores.

These findings could be the reason why retailers are implementing mobile payment acceptance systems to accommodate consumers who prefer to buy items and services with their smartphones. The Wall Street Journal reports that many merchants are being encouraged by market conditions to adopt solutions that allow them process these types of payments. If they don't, they could lose out to competition.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, September 24th, 2012 at 1:47 am .