December 31, 2009
E-commerce continues to be a boon for retail chains, new report finds
Nearly half of retailers said their online sales are growing at a faster rate than their overall sales, according to a recent poll of 26 U.S. and Canadian retail chains by Karabus Management, a subsidiary of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Canada.
December 23, 2009
Stores enjoy kick-outs this Christmas
Following last year’s holiday season defined by significant sales declines, excessive inventory and deep markdowns, a new study from Karabus Management, a subsidiary of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in Canada, examines the efforts retailers have taken to improve business and financial performance this holiday season and into 2010.
December 21, 2009
Snow Challenges Northeast Retailers
Retailers are expected to extend their shopping hours and step up promotions over the next few days in order to recoup some of the shopper traffic lost this past weekend in the Northeast’s first major winter storm.
December 21, 2009
CFOs Reveal Ad Strategies
Retail finance executives cut where and what they could in 2009, including marketing budgets, but the flexibility of their partners and emphasis on productivity allowed them to maintain or even increase their advertising outreach.
December 18, 2009
Recession Boosts Retail CFOs Fiscal Discipline
In its second annual survey of CFOs at 26 national specialty and department store chains in the United States and Canada, Karabus Management, a subsidiary of PricewaterhouseCoopers, determined that retailers have become more focused on return on investment and more concerned about the cost of growth.
December 16, 2009
CFOs Say Customer Outreach Not Hurt by Marketing Cuts
Retail finance executives cut where and what they could in 2009, including marketing budgets, but the flexibility of their marketing partners and emphasis on productivity allowed them to maintain or even increase their advertising outreach.
December 2, 2009
Economy 101: Understanding holiday shopping data
Most pundits generally agree that the start of the season was just ho-hum. But if you examine the details, you'll come across all sorts of disagreement over exactly how things have gone.
November 27, 2009
Recession-era Black Friday Filled With Challenges
After more than a year of recession fallout that made holiday 2008 a retail Waterloo, stores will put their austerity strategies to the stiffest test when the season moves into high gear on Black Friday.
November 27, 2009
Carson City retailers gear up for Black Friday
Amid one of the steepest economic declines in generations, the prospects of a profitable Black Friday are considered to be only marginally better when compared to the 2008 shopping season, which was marred by the initial weeks of the global financial crisis.
November 27, 2009
With consumers budget-conscious, merchants offer deals, discounts
Consumers are skittish about spending, worried about their jobs, and retailers are trying to squeeze every dime they can out of them during a holiday shopping season that's forecast to be one of the flattest in years.
November 27, 2009
Retailers hope Black Friday fervor sets pace for season
One challenge: Getting shoppers to look beyond promoted merchandise.
November 27, 2009
With consumers budget-conscious, merchants offer deals, discounts
Consumers are skittish about spending, worried about their jobs, and retailers are trying to squeeze every dime they can out of them during a holiday shopping season that's forecast to be one of the flattest in years.
November 9, 2009
Can't find the hot new toy? Blame the economy.
Instead of a throwback to great buying binges of the past, the empty shelves are just another sign of bad times.
November 5, 2009
Citi Investment Research: Holiday Outlook from Karabus Management
Karabus Management shares their outlook and expectations for the 2009 Holiday shopping season.
October 28, 2009
Karabus Management Projects Flat to One Percent Growth in Retail Holiday Sales
Rising consumer sentiment, "recession weariness" and aggressive inventory management are key factors; Halloween predicted to be bellwether for holiday sales.
October 19, 2009
Will Holiday Shoppers Be Merry or Miserly?
With so many jobless consumers, many retailers are repared to endure another weak holiday selling season. But some analysts have turned optimistic.
October 13, 2009
Retail Exposed to Changing Shopping Habits: Karabus Management Predictions for Who Will Survive
Tightened budgets and the variety of shopping options available to consumers from traditional brick and mortar to online have forced retailers to re-examine their value proposition.
September 23, 2009
WWD: Holiday Forecasts See Sales Down, Profits Up
Holiday 2009 could see profits victory snapped from the jaws of sales defeat.
June 30, 2009
Saks Denies Shoppers The Goods
Luxury retailers such as Saks and Neiman Marcus are reverting back to the fundamentals of economics by reducing supply in the hopes of generating demand.
June 23, 2009
Saks Chief Cuts Orders to Avoid Discounts on Suits, Stilettos
Saks Inc., Neiman Marcus Group Inc. and other luxury retailers are reducing orders this year to limit supply and boost profitability.
June 15, 2009
Stores' Cost-Cutting May Transform Retail
Consumers aren’t the only ones cutting back. Retailers are reducing their spending — with most broadline players slashing millions from their budgets as they try to counter withering sales.
June 10, 2009
BERNS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP UNVEILS TRENDS IN DISTRESSED RETAIL NOTED BY LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Retail liquidation is expected to accelerate during the end of the second quarter, according to some bankruptcy liquidation experts who attended a recent industry roundtable hosted by Berns Communications Group.
June 8, 2009
Recession Roundtable Anticipates More Retail Rumbles
A group of liquidation expects warned of more bankruptcies to come — and soon — during a recent roundtable sponsored here by Berns Communications Group.
May 28, 2009
Retailers Are Spending Less, but There Is Consulting if Firms Know Where to Look
Many retail companies are in survival mode, so the majority of consulting projects they are willing to consider focus on ways to reduce costs, streamline operations, and protect already slim margins.
May 4, 2009
Supermarket News: Survey Cites Areas for Cost-Cutting
Citing a benchmark survey of more than 20 North American operators, Karabus found that best-in-class retailers realize considerable savings in areas such as real estate costs, advertising spending and other areas.
April 16, 2009
Marrying retail's art and science
merchandise planning, has taken on greater importance as stores battle slumping demand and customer traffic in the face of the recession and rising unemployment.
April 16, 2009
General Growth filing clouds future for stores
The bankruptcy of the second-largest U.S. mall owner, General Growth Properties Inc, will have little immediate effect on its retail tenants, but could hurt them down the road.
April 14, 2009
Notching it down
While some fashion designers close their studios and retailers shutter their windows, smaller Toronto-based retailers and manufacturers are buckling down for the recession.
April 14, 2009
Fashion's Shifting Paradigm
Moving ahead in the current economy will require fashion companies to be as flexible and innovative as they've claimed to be all along.
March 30, 2009
Supermarket News: Turning South
The recession that has battered the United States for several months made a sudden arrival in Canada late last year, bringing with it a chill of consumer caution expected to affect the fortunes of Canada's food retailers at least through the balance of the year.
March 24, 2009
Survival Steps for Retailers in today's economic environment
In order to help retail companies manage through the downturn, retail advisory firm Karabus Management (subsidiary of PwC Canada), today announced critical next steps retailers should take in order to meet the demands of this challenging economic environment.
January 21, 2009
Grocers, Vendors Tussle On Pricing, Promotions
Supermarket chains turn up the heat on suppliers to lower wholesale prices while food companies dig in to hold on to recent price hikes.
January 20, 2009
Circuit City’s Demise Lengthens Shadow
The chain's liquidation will add to the challenges facing retail real estate owners.
January 20, 2009
Flush Times for Liquidators
Far-flung locales are being tapped as liquidators scurry to unload excess goods they are getting from retailers and manufacturers.