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Retail Paradox Weekly
Retail News Analysis by RSR Research
December 2, 2008
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Black Friday: A Special Edition of Retail Paradox Weekly
By Steve Rowen, Managing Partner
12/2/2008
This issue of RPW is our second annual Black Friday special report. In what is now tradition, Nikki, Brian, Paula and I each head out to do some shopping in our respective cities on the fateful day to make our own observations into the state of retail affairs. Brian’s task was to shop high-end stores, mine to shop lower cost retailers, while was to Nikki head out early and Paula to head out late. It’s a bit of fun, and we hope you enjoy reading what we each took away from our experience.
Southern California: Sending Mixed Black Friday Messages
By Nikki Baird, Managing Partner
12/2/2008
Last year I reported on Black Friday fun from my current hometown of Denver, CO. This year, however, for Thanksgiving my family made the pilgrimage back to my state of origin: California. Specifically, southern California. Now, for those of you who may have me more solidly connected with woodsy, outdoorsy mountain hiking and such, you may be shocked to learn that I actually developed my fantastic sense of direction in shopping malls. In the Valley. As in, “Valley Girl” the Valley. Like, totally.
So I had mixed feelings about the idea of heading into a SoCal shopping mall... More
San Francisco: Upscale Retailers Tinker with the Value Promise on Black Friday
By Brian Kilcourse, Managing Partner
12/2/2008
One of the accepted truisms of retail is that hi-end merchants are the very last to feel the pinch of tough economic times. After all (the logic goes), those who frequent luxury stores have the most money to lose – and to spend. So it’s a real sign of the times that Tiffany announced on 11/26 that it now expects sales to be flat to -2% for 2008 (the news for the company’s North American operations is worse, with a recently reported decrease of 7% for 3rd QTR). As consumers go down market in their search for good buys, “ostentatious” has become a fashion don’t. Such upscale retailers as Ann Taylor, Chicos, and Talbot reported down 3rd quarter earnings in the last week, and Nordstroms has downgraded expectations for the year.
With this information in mind, my “Black Friday” walkabout assignment was... More
Miami: Black Friday Weekend Wrap-up
By Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner
12/2/2008
My Black Friday excursion was waylaid by an upset tummy, so I spent most of that day in cyberspace, rather than in “the field.” However, Saturday and Sunday found me out and about, and this report represents the entirety of that experience.
The net can be split into a few parts... More
John Fontanella
By Paula Rosenblum
This weekend, the research and analyst industry lost one of its best - John Fontanella - to a massive heart attack. RSR sends its condolences to John’s son Steve, his daughter Jessie, and his partner Martha Hunter.
John was an incredibly likeable guy... More
Copyright © 2008 RSR Research LLC. RSR is a tradename of Retail Systems Research LLC. All Rights Reserved
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