Kurt Barnard
Kurt Barnard
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Until the unemployment picture improves, consumers will be very cautious about their spending habits. We think the second half of the year could also be difficult for the retail industry unless the job demand improves.
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Watch out for this company. It's telling us something. While most retailers sold indistinguishable products, Sharper Image sells exciting and unique things that people want to buy.
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We found out, from talking to consumers and store operators all over the country, that low-dollar items went very fast. Forget about high-end items.
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With Wal-Mart it's still a wait-and watch situation, but Target's news is a little worse. The problem with Target is that its department stores are underperforming.
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The potential for Web sales is tremendous and it carries the potential of completely altering and upsetting over the next few years all channels of retail selling.
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The problem with Target is a problem facing every retailer. The price of gas is coming down, but home heating oil is going to be a major problem, ... A lot of consumers are worried.
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We're seeing the consumer back at the discretionary counters and that is good news for the entire industry.
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I think the NRF forecast is hopefully optimistic. I don't see a pickup in sales until the pace of layoffs slows down.
forecast hopefully layoffs pace pickup sales until
I think the NRF forecast is hopefully optimistic, ... I don't see a pickup in sales until the pace of layoffs slows down.
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I think the future lies in two different kinds of Internet players. The one is the bricks and clicks, and that will be the dominant factor in the business, ... The other one will be highly specialized pure play click operations that carry things, do things that are simply not available elsewhere through other channels.
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This is really the surprise of the year. We should have really anticipated it because suddenly the weather turned very cold.
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It is a good time if you're willing to accept slow growth and slow improvement. We do not anticipate at this time that the foreseeable future will bring a real strong massive upturn in consumer spending.
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Retail sales of Martha Stewart products won't suffer in a terminal way because right now Kmart needs Martha more than Martha needs Kmart. Her products are selling well because people really like them.
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Just remember one thing - the competitive world around Home Depot is changing. Lifestyles are changing. He has stay not just on top of those changes, but a mile ahead of them.