While women are generally considered to be the expert shoppers who are always looking for a deal, it seems as though men are coming into their own when it comes to buying clothes. It could be because males are paying closer attention to the latest fashions and want to be stylish, or it could be that they want more control over their options. Whatever the reason, retailers across the globe are attempting to maximize on the recent uptick in mens retail sales. Many clothing manufacturers are starting to see increases in purchases from males, and they are designing and producing new styles that appeal to the gender.

Several men's retailers see quarterly increases

Clothing retailers that specialize in men's fashions have seen a rise in business over the past few months. According to Barron's, both Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank Clothiers reported increases in second quarter earnings. Industry experts believe this jump in sales is due to men shopping for work suits. Additionally, male shoppers want to find trendy and stylish clothing, which both of these retailers offer.

Male shoppers become fashion-conscious

Other clothing stores are attempting to reach out to men as well. The New York Times writes that males are becoming more interested in fashion and want to make decisions about what they wear. The old assumption that men don't care about clothing is being replaced with this new trend of fashion-conscious customers.

"For too long, male shoppers were considered to be the stepchildren," said Jim Moore, the creative director of men's magazine GQ. "There were a lot of assumptions on the retail level that men weren't interested in fashion and that they just went to department stores to buy socks and underwear."

The newspaper reports that there are now some retailers who have opened storefronts that sell only male clothing. Other businesses have redesigned their men's departments to better attract and accommodate these shoppers. These companies range from luxury retailers, such as Christian Louboutin and Hermes, to more wallet-friendly stores, including Ralph Lauren, Nordstom and Ugg.

The economic recession had a negative impact on the entire country, but since its slow and steady improvement, men's retailers have seen adult males become the fastest-growing segment in their apparel market. Many of these companies have been diligently studying men's shopping habits to better appeal to their needs.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 7th, 2012 at 1:55 am .

On October 12, Retail Pro will begin hosting its 2012 Global Conference, which will continue until October 16. Held in San Francisco, California, the event will feature a variety of topics pertaining to the retail industry, including Retail Pro's products and software platforms that help retailers effectively manage store operations.

Retail Pro Alliance and Business Partners, Sponsors, Vendors and Users will be able to attend the Global Conference. The agenda includes seminars and events that will feature industry trends as well as Retail Pro technology platforms, such as Retail Pro Prism, that provide management solutions for Retail Pro community members. There will be several guest speakers who will offer knowledge and insight into the retail sector as well as engage in discussions with attendees.Attendees will also be provided with many networking opportunities, giving them the chance to establish and develop valuable relationships with other professionals.

The last day of the 2012 Global Conference will be dedicated to Retail Pro Prism, the company's latest POS management system that provides retailers with flexible workflows and UI. Attendees of the Retail Pro Prism Boot Camp will be able to learn more about the platform and its workflow capabilities. Additionally, attendees can earn their certification in Retail Pro Prism at the end of the Boot Camp. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/2012Conference/Registration.php.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 7th, 2012 at 1:49 am .

Although American consumers are slowly regaining confidence in the steady but sluggish economic improvement, retail sales have been increasing over the past few months. This trend could highlight the fact that conditions are beginning to look up as shoppers make their way back into retail stores.

According to a study by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), retail chain store sales rose 6 percent in August in comparison to the same time last year, reports Investor Place. Last month's numbers also increased by 4.6 percent from July. The jump in sales could be due to the back-to-school shopping season, as industry experts anticipate September's totals could slightly decrease once the school supply shopping frenzy is completed. An increase between 3 and 4 percent is expected for this month, states the source.

August's numbers were better than expected, writes Seeking Alpha, as retailers anticipated that low consumer confidence would have a negative impact on the industry. However, last month's rise in sales defied odds by bringing in some of the highest totals of the past few months. Many large department stores saw an uptick in August sales, including Macy's, Nordstrom and Limited Brands, which owns and operates Victoria's Secret and Henri Bendel.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, September 6th, 2012 at 10:37 am .

With just a little more than a month left to go, Retail Pro is gearing up for its 2012 Global Conference, which will be held October 12 to October 16 in San Francisco, California. This year's event is open to Retail Pro community members, including Retail Pro Alliance Partners, Users, Sponsors and Vendors.

Attendees will be able to participate in seminars and events that will feature retail professional speakers and the various trends and topics of the retail industry. Alliance Partners, Sponsors, Vendors and Users can learn more about Retail Pro's product offerings, including its management software platforms that streamline retail operations and improve processes. There will also be several opportunities available for networking, allowing Retail Pro community members to connect with other retail professionals and establish valuable working relationships.

On the last day of the Global Conference, attendees will be able to learn more about Retail Pro Prism, its latest retail management software. The Retail Pro Prism Boot Camp will be a day-long event that will give Retail Pro community members valuable insight into how the technology platform works, including its architecture, its fundamentals and its workflow capabilities. Attendees will have the chance to earn their certification in Retail Pro Prism, which is recognized by Retail Pro International, LLC and Retail Pro University. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/2012Conference/Registration.php.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 5th, 2012 at 11:06 am .

Mobile retail sales in the United Kingdom are expected to rise significantly during the holiday shopping season, as consumers are beginning to prefer completing transactions on their devices. Retailers throughout the country are starting to prepare for the trend by integrating solutions that allow them to accept mobile payments.

Internet Retailer reports that leading up to and through the holiday shopping season, online retailers could see at least 20 percent of sales be made on mobile devices, according to recent research from theIMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Index. Additionally, up to 30 percent of website visits could be from mobile users. These expectations come from the increase in U.K. web sales during 2012's second quarter, which increased to 11.6 percent from the first quarter's 8.2 percent. Online mobile retail sales have drastically increased by 2,900 percent since the first quarter of 2011, the report states.

These increases in the number of sales are the main reason why many retailers are beginning to adopt solutions that allow them to accept mobile payments, both in stores and online. Ecommerce Times writes that these retailers will need to eventually integrate mobile payment systems to stay competitive within the marketplace. Failing to accommodate consumers who prefer to pay with mobile devices could have a negative impact on operations.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 4th, 2012 at 10:31 am .

Retail Pro Business Partners, Users, Vendors and Sponsors are beginning to prepare for the 2012 Retail Pro Global Conference, which will be held in San Francisco, California, October 12-16. Attendees will be able to take part in events and seminars focusing on the various technologies and products offered by Retail Pro, including its newest POS retail management software, Retail Pro Prism.

The last day of the Global Conference, October 16, will be focused solely on Retail Pro Prism, featuring an extensive Boot Camp training event. Alliance Partners, Sponsors, Vendors and Users will be able to learn more about the technology product, including its fundamentals, application modules and customer relation management capabilities. Retail Pro Prism allows users to strengthen their point of sale operations, create customized functionality and streamline transactions.

For individuals who are interested in gaining insightful knowledge about the software and who benefit from hands-on training, the Retail Pro Prism Boot Camp will offer valuable information. At the end of the day-long event, attendees will be able to earn certification in Retail Pro Prism, which is recognized by Retail Pro University and Retail Pro International, LLC. Registration information for the Retail Pro 2012 Global Conference can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/2012Conference/Registration.php.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, August 31st, 2012 at 1:43 am .

It could be the added convenience, faster transactions or reliability, but consumers in North America are beginning to use self-checkout terminals to complete purchases. This technology is not necessarily a new form of retail point-of-sale software. However, retailers may need to adopt these solutions to accommodate customers.

According to Retailing Today, a recent study by IHL Group found that self-checkout shipments have seen an 8 percent increase year-over-year. This represents a total of $255 billion in transactions annually. The research also revealed that consumers are using self-service terminals 7 percent more each year, and experts anticipate the total amount of transactions to surpass $1 trillion by 2014, reports the source.

Smartphones and tablets are also proving to be new forms of retail technology. Consumers are increasingly using these devices to research information about retailers and even complete purchases, states Internet Retailer. A study by Nielsen found that nearly three-quarters of smartphone users look up and then call retailers from their devices. Eighty-four percent research physical locations as well as directions. This highlights the growing trend of mobile devices being used for shopping purposes.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 9:41 am .

Retailers throughout the U.K. are looking to boost sales not only on their island nation, but also across the world. Recent research has found that British stores are hoping to increase retail sales in several countries, including Germany, China and the United States.

According to Retail Week, a study by Barclay's found that 66 percent of retailers anticipate that their totals of overseas sales will increase within the five years. Almost one-quarter of respondents said they are focusing their efforts on Germany, with China, Australia, Europe and the United States rounding out the top five countries of where U.K. retailers wish to expand sales.

"British retailers haven't ventured into Germany for a very long time and it is only in the last few years, as the economy has strengthened, that it has come to the fore again," said Richard Lowe, Barclay's head of retail and wholesale.

Overseas sales is not the only trend happening for British retailers. Mobile shopping is becoming more popular among consumers, states Internet Retailer. A recent study by Affiliate Window found that for the month of July, 9.4 percent of website traffic came from consumers using their mobile devices. This represents a 4.5 percent increase from the same time last year.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 9:39 am .

After a strong summer, the month of August saw an increase in retail sales led by solid back-to-school shopping. With the recently released numbers, retailers are becoming more confident about the next few months and expect to see a rise in sales during the holiday shopping season. August's totals were better than expected, and many industry experts believe this could be an indication of improving economic conditions along with growing optimism of both shoppers and companies.

Better-than-expected sales

A study by Thomson Reuters found that for the month of August, same-store sales increased by 3.6 percent for nearly all U.S. retailers, reports Reuters. It was expected that the amount would only rise by 2 percent. This significant rise could be due to strong sales for back-to-school items and merchandise, which is normally the second largest shopping season, after Thanksgiving and the holidays. However, retailers still have some challenges to face, as the Commerce Department released research that found second quarter consumer spending was still below the levels of the first quarter.

In any case, industry experts anticipate that the solid spending numbers will remain steady for the next few months, including holiday shopping. The recent totals, coupled with the successful back-to-school season, will give retailers the confidence needed to develop and plan promotions to appeal to consumers, states the source.

Best sales growth in five months

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, several large retailers saw significant increases in the amount of sales throughout August. Research by the International Council of Shopping Centers found that totals rose 6 percent during the month, representing the strongest growth since March of this year. On the other hand, a study by a private research firm revealed that consumer confidence is low due to worries about economic conditions and unemployment. Despite shoppers' concerns, industry experts state that their retail patterns are pointing to an increase in optimism. This could very well result in this year's holiday sales figures at least meeting and possibly surpassing last year's totals, states the source.

"It shows some resilience among shoppers," said Ken Perkins, president of research firm Retail Metrics. "Let's face it. There are a whole series of economic headwinds that they are fighting against. The results show that the consumer isn't dead."

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 9:36 am .

Hot dogs, American flags and fireworks are not the only items that see a surge in sales before Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. Mobile retail stores also see an increase in purchases during these summer holidays.

According to Internet Retailer, the retail search site Dealnews.com reported a rise in sales during Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day 2011. So far this year, the numbers have been steadily increasing leading up these holidays, and after Labor Day is over, the site expects the purchase amounts to be higher than last year. On Memorial Day, mobile traffic on the website – which searches for retail deals from online stores – reached 20.75 percent. This represents a 42 percent increase from the three working days leading up to the holiday. For the Fourth of July,  mobile traffic accounted for 22.48 percent, a 43 percent jump from the past three days.

Overall retail sales for July were better than expected, states MarketWatch. Industry experts anticipated that numbers would be dismal, as July is normally a slow month for retail sales. Retailers across the country are hoping that the positive totals will lead to a strong back-to-school shopping season.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 2:01 am .