RPW 1-13-09

Retail Paradox Weekly

Retail News Analysis by RSR Research

January 13, 2009

2009: The Year of the Existing Customer

By Nikki Baird, Managing Partner
1/13/2009

We all like our categories and our lists, and there have been lists aplenty so far – both categorizing the ups and down of 2008, and lists of predictions for 2009. One of the things we often get asked at RSR is to categorize each year – for example, is it the year of the store? The year of the customer? The year of supply chain?

So far, I have resisted making big predictions as to things like... More

Highlights of RSR's New Report on Supply Chain Collaboration

By Brian Kilcourse, Managing Partner
1/13/2009

For last week’s Retail Paradox weekly, RSR interviewed Joe Andraski, CEO of VICS (“Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Solutions Association”) and a noted proponent of collaboration between retailers and their partners. In the interview, Andraski stated, “if you don’t have a collaborative strategy, you’re going to have one hell of a time competing…nobody can do it by themselves.” RetailWire picked up the interview, and most of those in the online discussion group expressed Joe’s sentiments, to the effect that “if you’re not collaborating with your trading partners, you’re in big trouble."

New research... More

Retail Wrap-up and Trends for 2009

By Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner
1/13/2009

Here we are, another voice in the Greek chorus chanting the story of retail holiday sales. The overarching theme: oddly mixed and badly down, yet mostly at or above draconian plans. The luxury market suffered, but discounters like TJX didn’t make a lot of hay either. Sears rejoiced with comps down 12.8%. Go figure. In short, it was a strange, unpredictable season.

Combining sales and EPS estimates with the announcement from the NRF... More