The gradually recovering economy held the promise of an improved holiday shopping season. As jobs increased, the number of shoppers with additional cash to spend rose. However, initial estimates about retail sales may need to be revised due to the United States' government shutdown. 

Currently, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicted that sales between November and December will increase by 3.9 percent over the 2012 season. However, this may change depending on how quickly the government resolves the shutdown. 

"Our forecast is also somewhat hinging on Congress and the Administration's actions over the next 45 days," said Matthew Shay, NRF President and CEO "Without action, we face the potential of losing the faith Americans have in their leaders, and the pursuant decrease in consumer confidence."

Retail industry professionals still have reason to remain positive. Should the problem finish quickly, the NRF believes that improvements in the U.S. housing market and consumer desire for more expensive items may bolster sales come November. In addition to the more modest overall growth, online purchases may rise a more dramatic 13 to 15 percent. Because of the added strain on retail ecommerce software, merchants should ensure that their technology is up to the task. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, October 8th, 2013 at 4:36 am .

Even as retailers work to improve their mobile optimization for an increasing number of smartphone- and tablet-based sales, they should realize that many of their customers are still using more traditional means when shopping online.

According to a Drapers study in association with Kantar Media, four out of five apparel shoppers primarily use their laptop or PC while browsing and ordering items online. By contrast, tablets were the main device for 10.7 percent of customers and only 8.5 percent on smartphones. This ratio was roughly the same regardless of the age group, with 18-24 year olds still preferring home computers more than 75 percent of the time. Desktops can provide more convenience at the point of sale, which could be influencing the habit.

Notably, apparel sales increased at the end of September, with Investor's Business Daily attributing the uptick partially to cooler weather driving the purchase of seasonal clothing. The total same-store sales were 2.1 percent higher from one year prior, and this trend might continue should the temperature hold steady – the news provider highlighted that the fourth week of September was the coldest it has been since 2006. As the fall season progresses, retail industry professionals who factor in the weather along with customers' preferred shopping methods may be able to improve their total sales before the holidays.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, October 7th, 2013 at 1:31 pm .

Every transaction is another data point, and retailers who can understand the patterns of their store operations will be able to run their locations more effectively and efficiently. Big data analytics is an integral part to increasing ROI, and best in class solutions can substantially improve management and sales abilities. 

Retail Pro Business Intelligence provides industry professionals with the tools to collect and analyze information throughout their organization. The platform allows decision-makers to dig deeply into their sales, records and history to enhance ongoing strategies. Its customizability, coupled with its mobile app capabilities, provide flexibility as well as actionable results. Interested merchants can participate in the Retail Pro Business Intelligence webinar scheduled for Thursday, October 10, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/662755202.

Neil McKeown, Product Manager for Retail Pro E-Commerce and Retail Pro Business Intelligence, will be leading the webinar. He will discuss the insight that participants can learn from merchandising, store operations and the point of sale, as well as how Retail Pro Business Intelligence can improve employee productivity. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, October 7th, 2013 at 9:17 am .

For retail industry professionals to remain successful in difficult economic times or thrive when markets are prosperous requires flexibility, know-how and awareness about some of the latest trends in business intelligence, technology and shopping. With mobile payments and omnichannel marketing poised to change commerce, merchants will want to meet with fellow colleagues from around the globe to learn some of the tricks and best practices when integrating these innovations into their ongoing business strategies and store operations. This month, Retail Pro Business Partners and Customers will have that opportunity by attending the 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference in Barcelona, Spain. 

The 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference will be held on October 18-20 for Business Partners, with a Customer Summit scheduled for October 20-22. The agenda for both events is available at https://www.retailpro.com/Community/2013Conference/Agenda.php.

Customers will hear from Sumit Bathla, General Manager IT-Retail & Electronics at Al-Futtaim, as he discusses the technological strategies that help businesses expand and innovate for an ever-evolving customer experience. Meanwhile, Business Partners can participate in "Success Defined: A Retail Pro Partner Story." Mahesh Gopinath, President at Genie Technologies, and Alexandra Frith, Director of Marketing, will explain some of the ways that merchants can succeed in tough economic times, with examples drawn from personal experience. 

Retail Pro Business Partners and Customers can register now for the 2013 Global Conference at https://www.retailpro.com/Community/2013Conference/Registration.php. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, October 3rd, 2013 at 9:05 am .

Retailers that know their customers can better meet the needs of their shoppers and the demands of their business. However, this requires using a robust management platform capable of gathering and storing information, the numerous data points involved in a transaction and everything leading up to it. These details then need to be readily accessible for analysis and application into service and ongoing strategies. Retail Pro Prism POS provides industry professionals with those capabilities through a variety of tools that enhance retail business intelligence.

The system's customer management features assist merchants in collecting data about their customers' buying habits and preferred products, while simultaneously securing their privacy from unwanted attention. Retailers can learn more about the solution tomorrow during the Retail Pro Prism webinar scheduled between 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/445222442. 

The flexible platform also provides a strong suite of features to assist with many operational aspects, such as inventory tracking, data security, employee management and real-time communication between stores. Ket Venethongkham, Director of Retail Pro University, and James McGibbon, a Trainer at Retail Pro University, will present the numerous advantages that Retail Pro Prism can provide to users and their companies. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013 at 9:31 am .

The holiday retail season may not be here, but prep-time has for many companies. Amazon recently announced that it will be hiring 70,000 full-time seasonal jobs. This 40 percent increase from last year may indicate a level of confidence in the approaching shopping months, particularly since the company also believes thousands of employees will remain on as permanent staff members. 

However, merchants should also be aware that this will be one of the shortest holiday seasons in recent years. Black Friday falls on Nov. 29, and retailers will only have a 25-day window to drive sales, unlike the 31-day long season from 2012. These dates also give consumers one less weekend – four instead of five- to shop than usual. This will result in some stores offering promotions earlier in November or potentially October, and industry professionals should remain aware of various markets to capitalize on less well-defined sales dates. Inventory and sales staff management may have to be adjusted because of this. 

Sales up, foot traffic down
According to a study from analytics firm ShopperTrak, retailers should also expect a 1.4 percent decrease in foot traffic from 2012. However, sales are actually expected to rise by 2.4 percent from the same period, with the apparel category anticipated to experience an overall 2.8 percent increase in sales and only a 1.0 percent reduction in customer visits. Big-ticket items may be more central to stores' success this year, or a higher volume of purchases from a smaller segment of consumers. 

Due to the disparity between the foot traffic and sales anticipated at brick-and-mortar stores, along with a shortened holiday sales season, merchants should begin adjusting their usual strategies to account for these factors. The fewer number of shopping weekends could lead to longer lines and more last-minute purchases. A streamlined point of sale system can tackle these obstacles and ensure that stores operate smoothly from customer to customer. Even as the total number of consumers decreases, the amount of patrons shopping at once may increase drastically due to the compacted time between Black Friday and Christmas. 

Amazon's move may also indicate a greater level of eCommerce sales this year, so merchants should ensure that their eCommerce software is up to the task of handling a greater volume of customers. This will be another item that retailers should consider while planning out their store operations for the coming months. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013 at 7:27 am .

October is here and in just a few short weeks, Retail Pro Business Partners and Customers will have the opportunity to network with their peers from around the world and discover some of the latest trends and technology influencing the retail industry at the 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference.

The Global Conference will be held in Barcelona, Spain, and experts from a variety of fields and locations will be on hand to meet attendees and share their insight about the future of the sector. Retail Pro Business Partners and Customers will each be able to participate in a number of presentations geared toward their specific interests and needs. Event details for the 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/Community/2013Conference/Agenda.php. 

Neil McKeown, Vice President of Product and Process Management, will dispel some of the myths surrounding omnichannel retailing during his presentation. He will discuss the reality of this latest trend and how merchants can apply it to their ongoing business strategies during both the Business Partner Summit scheduled for Oct. 18-20 and at the Customer Summit being held between Oct. 20-22. This will be but one of the many topics addressing how to improve the point of sale, the increasing role of mobile in the industry and other pressing matters for participants. 

Register now for the 2013 Global conference at https://www.retailpro.com/Community/2013Conference/Registration.php. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, October 1st, 2013 at 7:49 am .

Just as a seamless point of sale process helps ensure smooth workflow and a pleasant customer experience, customization can also be another important tool for industry professionals. Tailoring the look and feel of receipts, customer sales orders and other printed items can help establish brand identity, while the differing inventory, clientele and markets that merchants oversee all requires a level of personalization to reflect a store or chain. 

Retail Pro Prism provides organizations with a customizable tool set that can easily be modified based on a business's needs, without taxing the hardware it runs on or complicating the POS. The platform provides a powerful answer for decision-makers regardless of whether they want to build a mobile or desktop sales system. Merchants can participate in the Retail Pro Prism webinar on October 3 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/445222442.

Presenters Ket Venethongkham, Director of Retail Pro University, and James McGibbon, a Trainer at Retail Pro University, will guide attendees through the solution's multiple features. They will cover the platform's customizable, user-friendly nature, as well as how its numerous other capabilities. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, September 30th, 2013 at 9:54 am .

When customers buy items online, the typical expectation is that they will have products shipped to their home, and their options in the process are when everything will be delivered and how much they are willing to pay for faster service. This has changed in recent years, though. In some instances, e-commerce may entail listing in-store items online, so that shoppers don't waste a trip to the nearest brick-and-mortar location looking for something that isn't there. For a few retailers, the purchasing option may involve in-store delivery, rather than at-home. 

As might be expected, the more options there are, the better, as far as many shoppers are concerned. 

According to a recent study from comScore and UPS, 44 percent of online shoppers want to buy items online and then pick them up in the store. This preference stems partially from retailers offering free shipping to brick-and-mortar stores, while others choose the option because visiting the store is convenient for them. 

While many shoppers will still want their products delivered to their door, those retailers that provide their customers additional options at the point of sale will be able to attract a wider range of customers than those merchants that limit themselves to home delivery. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, September 30th, 2013 at 7:55 am .

One of the advantages that many online-only retailers have over brick-and-mortar stores is that they can avoid taxes in many circumstances. This translates into savings for the customer and additional sales for e-commerce merchants. 

However, the Marketplace Fairness Act may change this by taxing sales even when a retailer lacks a physical presence. If implemented, this could have a considerable impact on direct-to-customer sales. 

According to a recent study from the True Simplification of Taxation (TRuST) coalition, integrating the new fees into pre-existing operations could cost some businesses $80,000 to $290,000 for the initial change. This would only be for companies earning between $5 million to $50 million in annual sales, with larger enterprises potentially paying more. 

However, Multichannel Merchant published a rebuttal to TRuST's study. Ernie Schell, director of Marketing Systems Analysis, told the news provider that TRuST's figures were exaggerated. There still would be costs involved with the regulation, but Schell believes they would be half of what TRuST predicted. A $30,000 upgrade is still expensive, but retail industry professionals may have no choice but to accept the change. The act has already passed through the Senate and is currently before the House of Representatives. Because of this potential shift, merchants should ensure that their current retail software will be able to seamlessly manage the new guidelines with minimal cost to their business. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 27th, 2013 at 9:35 am .