Kurt Barnard
Kurt Barnard
consumers forget found items operators store talking
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.
cautious consumers demand difficult half industry job picture retail second spending unless until year
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.
avoiding consumer discount drifting rapidly spending stores
Consumer spending is avoiding the mall-based, high-priced stores and is now drifting rapidly to the discount and low-priced segment.
attractive pay question stores terms ultimately
I think ultimately they will do better than they have done in some years, ... There's no question the much more attractive stores will pay off in terms of improvement, but will they be able to come through with big earnings? The jury's still out.
clients continued customer depend four friendly market past sales spending stock stores strong
High-end stores depend on continued spending from clients that over the past four years have amassed considerable wealth. Sales at upscale stores like Saks and Neiman Marcus are also going strong because the stock market has been very customer friendly to this group.
reasons stores
One of the reasons why stores did not do better than they did is because there were not enough new designs, not enough new fashions.
consumers customers evoking exciting finding granted instead looking mistake problem products retailers selling stores taking terrible unusual
A terrible problem for retailers is that most stores are evoking yawns from consumers, instead of excitement. Retailers just can't keep making the mistake of taking customers for granted by selling ho-hum kind of merchandise. Consumers are looking for unusual and exciting products and they're not finding them.
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.
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.
available bricks carry click dominant elsewhere factor future highly internet kinds lies operations pure simply
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.
suddenly surprise turned weather
This is really the surprise of the year. We should have really anticipated it because suddenly the weather turned very cold.
accept anticipate bring consumer future good growth massive slow strong time willing
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.
martha needs people products retail sales selling suffer terminal
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.
ahead home lifestyles mile remember stay top
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.